


Against All Odds

by slytherclaw91



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Royai - Freeform, Young!Royai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-04-06 18:59:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 117,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14063409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherclaw91/pseuds/slytherclaw91
Summary: The odds may have been stacked against them, but they'd never let them stop them before. Royai, Young!Royai





	1. August 1902

A/N: .This story spans the 13 years from when Roy and Riza first meet until the aftermath of the Promised Day. Our intention when starting this was to comply with the series and fill in the gaps, but we did take a few artistic liberties with the timeline. We hope you enjoy them! -J&C

**August, 1902**

It was a small town. Roy Mustang was sure that if you blinked at the right moment, you'd miss it as the train flew by. As it happened, however, the train slowed to a stop at the station and he disembarked from the car, the only passenger to do so at this stop.

At age 17, this was the first time he had ventured so far from his home in Central City and into the countryside. He wasn't sure how his aunt and foster mother, Chris Mustang, had found out about the skilled alchemist Berthold Hawkeye who lived here or what strings she had pulled to get him an apprenticeship with a man who typically didn't take on apprentices, but here he was, standing on the platform with most of his belongings crammed into one suitcase as the train pulled away behind him.

No one was there to meet him, but he hadn't expected there to be. His soon-to-be teacher had sent the address and date to present himself in one brief letter several weeks beforehand. Roy Mustang carried that short letter in his hand now to reference the address as he approached the only station employee in sight, an older woman sitting behind a ticket counter.

She looked surprised when he told her where he needed to go, but gave him directions all the same. He got the feeling there weren't many visitors to this small town. The house in question was on the outskirts of the village, a few miles' walk from the station, so he set out on foot in the direction she indicated.

It was late afternoon before he found the house he was looking for, sitting alone at the end of a very long dirt driveway. It was a large house, but it gave the impression of being run down. The bushes were overgrown and the outside showed definite signs of wear. Roy supposed that a house this large was hard to keep up with when you lived alone as Berthold Hawkeye did.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Roy Mustang walked the last few feet to the front porch and knocked on the front door.

* * *

The day was as bright as 16-year-old Riza Hawkeye's mood. The sun was out with just enough clouds to make the sky slightly dark. She wasn't sure if it was going to rain or not. Either way, she didn't care much. Rain brought life but also made the air thick. Much like how fire brought destruction and death while at the same time giving warmth and light.

She had a quiet respect for everything and everyone, so long as it was well-deserved. But the person she respected the most was her father. He was a talented alchemist who knew all the secrets to flame alchemy. He believed in alchemy for the good of science, not just using it as a weapon by which to serve others. Because of his strong beliefs, he absolutely loathed the military branch of state alchemists.

She couldn't quite bring herself to hate anything. To her, there wasn't much of a point. They existed and nothing could be done to change that fact.

She looked up at the sky from her bedroom window. There was someone coming today, a boy who wanted to learn alchemy. Usually her father wouldn't take on an apprentice, but somehow he'd been convinced. Perhaps he hoped for another with the same beliefs as his own to be able to pass on his work to?

This boy must be annoying and very persistent, she mused. She glanced at the clock. He would be here soon. Perhaps he could break the monotony that was her life-even for just a little while. She was told he was only a year older than she. Hopefully they would have something in common.

That was when she heard the knock on the front door. Her bedroom was relatively close to the entrance of the house. She jumped from her window seat and rushed out her door. She continued down the large staircase, noticing how dusty it was, until she reached the floor below. The house hadn't been cleaned very well since her mother passed. She did what she could, but it was such a large house that by the time she cleaned a few rooms and made it to the other side of the home, the rooms she originally cleaned would be dusty and dirt-filled all over again. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her poker face. After exhaling, she reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open.

Roy blinked in confusion when a young girl around his age answered the door, having been expecting an older man. As far as he knew, Berthold Hawkeye lived alone. He took a step back to look at the address above the door in case he had somehow mistaken the house number.

"Oh. Um, hello. I was looking for the Hawkeye residence, but it appears I must have gotten lost. Perhaps you could point me in the right direction?" He gave her what he hoped was a charming smile.

Riza's eyes fell upon the tall, dark-featured boy on her doorstep. "No, you're at the right house. We've been expecting you."

She opened the door to let him in. "I'm his daughter, Riza Hawkeye. Please, come in."

His smile was charming. He seemed polite and friendly. She tried to contain her excitement. She could see herself sitting with him and having conversations about things other than alchemy-something fun that entertained their age group. She offered a shy smile in return.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hawkeye. I wasn't aware that Master Hawkeye had a daughter." Roy stepped through the door and into the entryway. "I'm Roy Mustang, but you probably already know that."

Berthold Hawkeye, meanwhile, was in his study with his research notes spread around him when he began to hear voices drifting down the hallway, an unusual occurrence in the usually quiet house. He rose from his desk and went to investigate, assuming it must be the arrival of his new student.

He knew the boy was around his daughter's age and hoped having someone her age around may be a nice change for her. He knew he hadn't been the most attentive father since his wife's death many years ago and it had taken a toll on her. Guilt had driven this decision, but also hope.

He followed the voices to the entryway where he found the two standing. His first impression of Roy Mustang was that he looked a lot like his father, whom Berthold had known when he lived in Central City as a young man. He had been surprised to learn from Chris Mustang, the sister of his old friend, that he and his wife had passed, leaving their son in her care and that the son in question was already showing signs of being a gifted alchemist.

"Ah, you must be Roy Mustang." he said as he approached. "We've been expecting you. I hope your journey wasn't too bad."

"Not at all, sir." Roy said, turning to face him. "I'm happy to be here."

"All the same, I'm sure it's been a long day for you, so we'll forego having any lessons this evening and start in the morning. It's my understanding that you're already accomplished in basic alchemical transmutations."

"That's correct, sir."

"Good! Then tomorrow morning you can show me what you already know so I know where we need to start. For tonight, just go ahead and get settled in. My daughter can show you to your room and around the house."

"It would be my pleasure, father." Riza said to him before turning back to look at Roy. "Just follow me. I'll show you to your room."

She looked over at the stairs. His room was just down the hall from hers. She was almost startled at first when her father had made the arrangement, but he knew she could be trusted. Her eyes made their way back to Roy.

The important question was this: could this boy be trusted?

She smiled again, hoping to avoid him noticing her suspicious expression. "So, I'd love to know about your hometown. I'm sure you noticed we don't have much around here."

Roy proceeded to follow her to the stairs. "Well, I'm from Central City. It's very different from here. The military's central command center is there and that's where the Fuhrer is. Everything is close together. Shops, restaurants, and stuff like that. My aunt owns a bar there and we live in the apartment above it," he explained as they ascended the stairs. "What about you? Is it just you and your father here?"

A brief look of pain crossed her face. Very brief, though. She never let anyone see her cry about her mother. Not even her father. Not that he'd see, anyway, from being so absorbed in his work. She didn't blame him, though. His work helped him cope and it was important research.

She looked at him when they reached the top of the stairs and smiled. "Yes, it's just the two of us. My mother passed away a long time ago. The only places around here I go to are the market for food and supplies, and maybe a couple of independently owned shops. They're far apart, though. There is a downtown-like area that has a cluster of things like shops and restaurants, but it's still not much. We have festivals in it every once in awhile, typically holidays. The people here are kind and the festivals were fun when I used to go."

They reach a door and she opened it before entering a few stepped. "This is your room. Mine is the next door down. I will leave you alone to settle in. I'll be preparing dinner in about an hour. I can come fetch you when it's ready, if you like."

"Dinner sounds nice." Roy set his suitcase on the end of his bed and turned to face her. "I'm sorry about your mother. My parents are gone, too. That's why I live with my aunt." he explained. "And I have my 'sisters'. They're the girls who work for my aunt. They're not really my sisters, of course, but they may as well be."

"Well, I'm sure it is still really nice to have sibling figures in your life. I've been thinking I'd like to get a dog someday. That's probably the closest I'll ever get." She chuckled a little. "So, I was going to make chicken fricassee for dinner. It's a fancy way of saying breaded chicken with pasta and sauce. It's a little spicy, but I don't have to cook it that way if you don't like spicy food?"

"I love spicy! It sounds great. I'm looking forward to it, Miss Hawkeye."

Riza smiled. "Just Riza, please."

* * *

 

**The Next Day**

Riza stood outside of Roy's door. It was about six in the morning. Her father had asked her to fetch him so he could prep in his study for the first lesson. They both were early risers. Riza always loved to be up right before the sun. She watched it rise with a hot cup of coffee and the most remarkable view of the land.

She knocked on the door loudly but not abrasively. "Mr. Mustang? My father is ready for you in his study. I can take you there when you're ready."

Roy was already awake as well, sitting at a desk in the room where he was writing a letter home to let his aunt know he made it safely. He hoped to have time to go into town later to send it. He stood and stretched when she knocked, then crossed to the door to open it.

"Thanks, Miss-Riza." he corrected himself. He had been raised calling everyone Mr. and Miss as a sign of respect, so it's a bit of an adjustment. "And you can call me Roy, if you want. It's weird being called Mr. Mustang. I can't be that much older than you. I'm only 17." His aunt and 'sisters' raised him to know better than to ask a lady for her age.

She smiled. "You never know. And technically you are older than me. I'm 16."

She noticed the letter on his desk now that the door was open. "Writing to your aunt?" she asked. She then realized she may sound nosy and recoiled slightly. "I mean-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so intrusive."

"Hey, no big deal. I call it curious, not intrusive. And how will you ever learn anything if you're not curious?" He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "But, yeah, it's for my aunt. Just wanted to let her know I made it ok and that your dad didn't take one look at me and kick me out or anything. I'm hoping to take it into town later today to mail it off if I have time."

"Oh, well why don't I take it for you? I don't have anything else to do until later," she offered. The only plans she had were going to the farthest area of their property to shoot her shells at cans on a fence post. She found herself to be a decent shot already.

The only reason she started doing it was because she felt a woman needed to know how to shoot in a desperate situation. Maybe she could be a police officer or something normal like that in the military since she isn't interested in alchemy.

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do that. I'll take it myself later. Although," he hesitated, not wanting to be an inconvenience. "I wouldn't mind the company if you wanted to come with me. I don't know my way around yet and I wouldn't want to get lost. Only if you're not busy, though."

She chuckled. "Well, you didn't ask. But I don't mind coming with you. I'm sure my father wouldn't be pleased if you did get lost. You look like you would." She teased. "Speaking of him, I'll show you to his study before you're too late. I'll bring you both breakfast soon." She beckoned him to follow her.

Roy laughed. "Worried I'll get lost on the way to the study, too? I wouldn't put it past me. This place is huge!" He followed her out of the room and down the stairs.

"You just have that look about you. But maybe I presume to know too much," she teased. As they continued down the hall, she sighed. It was rather strange to have someone around to talk to like this, but not exactly in a bad way. "Are eggs and biscuits all right with you? Unless you're not hungry. I bring father his meals throughout the day. Now that you're here, I'll bring food for you, too. Please tell me what kind of things you like."

"I like anything. I'm not picky. Just make whatever you usually make for your father, there's no need to go out of your way on my account. I'm sure whatever you make will be delicious. Dinner last night definitely was."

They arrived at the door to her father's study and he turned to face her. "So, I'll come find you after we're done with my lessons for the day, if that's alright?"

She felt like her face was a little warmer all of a sudden. She nodded and smiled. "That sounds good. Breakfast will be ready soon." She started to leave then turned to look at him again. "Don't kiss up to him. He hates that. Don't be afraid to disagree. My father loves a challenge."

Roy grinned. "Thanks for the tip."

A few hours later, Roy walked out of the study looking a bit tired, but pleased with himself. Master Hawkeye had tested his skills by having him perform a series of transmutations and reviewing basic alchemical principles. Hawkeye seemed impressed with Roy's progress, especially so since he had been self-taught up to that point.

It had been a while since Roy had done quite so much alchemy in one day and he was feeling the effects. He took a moment to stretch before setting off in search of Riza.

He found her dusting the stairs in her cleaning clothes that consisted of an over-sized t-shirt, shorts, and knee socks. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a clip and the expression on her face was one of complete focus. She was practically glaring at the stair rail. "Why don't you stay shiny? I use lemon oil and everything!" she quietly grumbled as she scrubbed. How did her mother ever manage to do this successfully?

Roy watched her for a moment, laughing silently to himself. "Well, did the stair rail give you a satisfactory explanation for its behavior?"

Riza jumped in surprise at the sound of his voice. She blushed a bit and stood up straight. "Unfortunately, any conversation I've had with inanimate objects never really ended well. Done with your first lesson already, are you? How was it?" She brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"It went really well. He mostly just wanted to see where I'm at with my alchemy today." he explained as he climbed the stairs to the landing she was on. "Do you really clean this whole place all by yourself?"

"Yes. Well, I try. It never stays clean. Not sure why I bother." She sighed. "I'm glad you had a good first day. Did you want to head into town still?"

Roy frowned. It hardly seemed fair that she should be responsible for all the cleaning and cooking in this house.

"Hm. Well, it's still early, so the post office won't close for a while. Why don't I help you finish your chores, then you can help me mail the letter?" he offered. "Equivalent exchange. Basic alchemical principle."

She gave him a curious look. Then she smirked. "Have you ever even cleaned a house before?"

"Never." he admitted. "First time for everything, though, right? I mean, it's the least I can do. I'm going to be living here making even more of a mess for you over the next year."

She chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps you can dust a couple rooms for me?" She motioned for him to follow her to a new room. She then gave him a feather duster.

He looked at the duster in his hand. "I think I can handle that." he said, and set about dusting the new room she had led him to. It appeared to be a library of some sort. There were dozens of texts about alchemy on the shelves lining the walls as well as several novels.

Riza watched him a moment and noticed his technique was mostly stirring up the dust rather than getting rid of it. She left for a moment and returned with a wet rag that had some lemon oil on it. She laughed and held it out. "Roy, you're not really doing much dusting so much as playing with dust. Use this instead. It has lemon oil on it so it smells good, too. Makes the wooden shelves really shiny." She grinned. "Hand over the feather duster."

Roy grinned sheepishly and held the feather duster out to her in exchange for the rag. "Yes, ma'am!" He gave her a mock salute.

She took it and shook her head. "I can't believe you've never cleaned before. But you've obviously done some reading with the way you're looking at our book collection. We have tons on alchemy and theories and philosophies. I've browsed through them a couple of times."

"Oh, are you interested in alchemy, too, then?" he asked her as he began to wipe down the shelves. "I used to spend a lot of time in the library back in Central until my aunt gave me some alchemy books of my own for Christmas a few years back. That's how I taught myself, but when it came time for me learn the more advanced stuff, she thought it would be better if I could be an apprentice to an alchemist to make sure I'm doing everything properly."

"No, not really. I don't like the thought of having a power that could spin me out of control. I don't hate it or anything. I do believe that alchemy can be used to help people. But I feel more comfortable using more natural ways of doing that." She gazed at him. "But I wanted to know about it, so I read all these books. My father encouraged me, of course. But he respected my reasons for not trying the practice."

Roy's smile faltered slightly, but he nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I can understand that. There have been some pretty terrible people who let the power to create and destroy go to their heads. That's part of why I want to do this, though. I want to be able to help others and protect them from people like that."

"I understand. Just make sure you always remember that you said that. I'd hate to see you changed from the way you are right now." She placed her hands together. "Well, I'll be in the next room over. Come find me if you need help with anything."

Roy watched her leave, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was starting to get the idea that Riza Hawkeye was much different than any girl he had ever met in Central. They were all more concerned with their appearance and finding a husband than discussing the moral responsibilities of using alchemy.

Well, other than his sisters, anyway. But they were usually busy using their looks to charm top secret information out of elected officials. They were quite good at pretending to be ignorant of politics.

As Riza cleaned in the next room, her thoughts were on Roy. He appeared to have a good heart and soul. Something about the way he had said he wanted to help people with his alchemy had touched her. She never really had any real friends. She had no one to identify with. She hoped that had finally changed.

She also hoped the room he was cleaning wasn't worse than it was before he touched it. She sighed and smiled.

Unfortunately, Roy wasn't the best cleaner. He did very well cleaning the surfaces he could see, but didn't think to lift items off their shelves and clean under them. He even got distracted a few times by an interesting alchemy book. Or two...or three.

Riza finished the room she was in after a while and wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead. It was spotless. She hadn't heard from Roy once while she was working, so she decided to go check in on him. She found him on the floor surrounded by open alchemy books. She let him keep reading and she moved to lift a book off the shelf. There were thick layers of dust on the book as well as under it. "Um...did you think to maybe check underneath the books or maybe see if their pages had a bit of dust on them?"

He looked up at her from his spot on the floor. "Oh, I guess I should have done that, shouldn't I? Oops." He stood up and dusted off his pants with his hands. "Sorry about that." He picked the rag back up and moved back to dusting, looking guilty.

She smiled and shook her head. "How will you ever become a great alchemist and save the world if you couldn't even dust properly?" She teased. She walked up to the neighboring shelf and started helping him.

"Guess I'll just always have to hope there's someone like you around to help me," he joked.

"Pray that you're so lucky," she teased. She finished up a row and started on the next one. "You know you don't have to do this if you'd rather read or study or something. I can do it alone."

"No, I said I would help and I always keep my promises," he told her as he lifted some books to dust under them. "Besides, you'll get done a lot quicker this way and we can head into town."

"This can always wait until we get back from that. I rarely ever finish cleaning the whole house in one day. I'd hate for you to get there and it be closed already."

Roy was more than happy to comply. He tossed the rag into the bucket of cleaning supplies. "I'll get the letter from my room and meet you by the front door, then?"

Riza chuckled. This boy was amusing. "All right. I'm just gonna change really quick into something less dirty and I'll meet you there."


	2. October 1902

A/N: This chapter picks up right where chapter 1 left off. 

He retrieved the letter and sealed it in an envelope before heading downstairs to wait for Riza. Once she arrived, they set out along the road to town. Roy kicked a rock along in front of him as they walked, hands stuffed in his pockets. "So what is there to do for fun around here?" he asked her.

She looked up at the sky as they walked. "Well, I'm probably not the best person to ask. I don't spend any time with anyone in town. Everyone knew my mother well though, so they know who I am. I only come around for errands. The festivals only happen a few times a year. I mostly just stay at home." She sighed. "I probably sound very lame right now. I mean, I do have my own hobbies."

A life without friends sounded very boring, Roy thought to himself. He couldn't imagine being cooped up in that house with no one else for company. Of course, there was her father, but he got the feeling there was not much father-daughter bonding happening in the Hawkeye household.

He didn't voice these thoughts, however. Instead, he gave her a smile. "Oh? What hobbies might those be?"

"I like to...shoot guns..." She said awkwardly. "I just shoot cans off a fence post but I'm good and I enjoy it."

He wasn't sure what he expected her answer to be, but shooting wasn't on the list. He was so surprised he stumbled over the rock he had been kicking down the road as he turned to look at her.

He chuckled. "You're really not like any other girl I've ever met."

"What? Am I really weird?" She seemed worried.

"It's not a bad thing," Roy explained, quickly. He knew it probably wasn't a good idea to offend his teacher's daughter on his first full day, lest he get shipped back to Central on the next train. "It's just...different."

"Well, I've thought about joining the military to do this kind of thing. To defend people who lack the skills or knowledge to do it themselves."

Roy nodded in understanding. Joining the military was something he seriously considered as well. "Does your father know?"

"Well I'm not really sure if I will or not. So no, I haven't told him. He's definitely no fan of the military." She looked down at her feet, then ahead. "What about you? Are you wanting to be a state alchemist?"

"That's the goal. I'm not sure I'll ever be good enough to pass state certification though. The state alchemists are the elite when it comes to alchemy."

By this point, they had reached the outskirts of the town. He spotted the post office further down one of the streets leading away from the town center and headed in that direction. When they got there, he stopped to open the door for her.

"My, my. Such a gentleman." She smiled and walked in. "I'm sure if you study hard enough you can get your certification. I'll help you if I can. And my father is talented-you'll learn much from him."

Roy couldn't help but smile as he followed her in. He was surprised at how much confidence she had in him after just a day, but it was nice to have someone believe in him.

The only other person in the post office when they entered was a kind older woman behind the counter. She looked up when she heard the door and smiled. "Hello, Riza, dear. Come to pick up your father's mail I expect?" She got up and moved to a room behind the counter to get it. "Who's your new friend?" she asked as she emerged.

Riza smiled at the woman. "Yes, I'd like to do that. But we also have a letter to mail out." She glanced at Roy. "This is Roy. He's my father's apprentice. Roy, this is Mrs. Delford."

Roy stepped forward to shake the woman's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Delford. I expect you'll be seeing a lot of me over the next year." He gave her a charming smile. "I'm hoping you can help me send this letter off to my aunt."

"Of course, dear." Mrs. Delford took the letter from him and placed it with the outgoing mail. She was very impressed with his manners.

She passed Riza a single letter addressed to her father. "Just the usual, I'm afraid." The 'usual' turned out to be yet another letter from the Amestrian military trying to recruit Berthold Hawkeye as a state alchemist.

Riza sighed and shook her head slightly. "When will they realize he'd rather die than be one of them? They just don't give up." She then smiled. "How is Mr. Delford? Oh, and how much is it for stamps? I'm sure Roy is going to be sending many letters during his stay."

"Mr. Delford is wonderful, thank you for asking! He just had to step out to deliver a package of perishable items we received."

Roy purchased the book of stamps after she told them the price and put it in his pocket so he would have it for future letters home. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Mrs. Delford, they exited the shop. Roy held the door for her again on the way out.

"Anywhere else you need to go while we're in town?" he asked her.

Riza shrugged. "I don't need anything right now. But if there's anything you'd like to look around at, feel free." She smiled.

"No, that's alright. I'll have plenty of time to look around another time and it seems to me I promised to finish cleaning a library for a certain someone." He smiled at her as they started to make their way back.

Riza laughed. "Attempt to clean, you mean."

"Same difference," he laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "Everyone has to start somewhere."

They made their way back to the house, joking about his abysmal cleaning skills. They were still laughing when they entered the house.

In his office, Berthold heard them return. "Riza, a word, please." he called out.

Roy stopped laughing instantly. It was only then that he realized he probably should have asked his teacher before taking his daughter into town with him, or at least told him where they were going.

Riza looked at him. "Don't look so scared. I'm sure everything is fine." She offered what she hoped was a comforting smile before heading to her father's office. "Yes, father?"

Berthold motioned for her to close the door as she entered. "I take it that you and young Mr. Mustang went into town this afternoon? What do you think of him?" He was glad the two seemed to have hit it off. It would do his daughter good to have a friend.

"Oh. Yes, we did. He needed to mail a letter to his aunt and I was showing him the way." She nodded. "He seems very nice, father. He has good morals, and manners, from what I've seen."

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. "I know it will be unusual to have a young man living in the house. If he does anything to make you uncomfortable, I want you to tell me. Understood?"

She blinked, startled. She had a hard time imagining Roy doing anything like that, but she nodded. "I understand. And it will be nice to have someone else around. He seems nice so far."

October 1902

It was early October and the leaves were beginning to change, but the weather remained warm. On the days he was not studying with Master Hawkeye, Roy spent much of his time outside. Having discovered he was no good at cleaning, he had found other ways to help by using alchemy to make repairs on the house. So far, he had repaired most of the roof and a few windows that would no longer open.

One such window was the one in the library, where he was now. He sat sideways across an armchair with his back against one arm and his legs slung over the other. He reread the same page of notes for perhaps the tenth time without taking any of it in. The sounds of nature drifting in through the open window made him wish he were outdoors instead.

He dropped the notes he was reading in a pile on the floor and looked over at the room's other occupant. "Riiizzaa...I'm booorrrrreeeeddddd. Let's go do something."

Riza looked up at him from a book. "Why don't you go fix something, handy man?" She suggested. She knew that he knew she didn't go out and do a lot of things with other people, or even by herself. Why he would expect her to know what they could do so HE wasn't bored, she didn't know. "You know I only do a few things for personal enjoyment. I'm not your entertainer."

Roy swung his legs around so that he was sitting in the chair properly. "I know! Let's go swimming!" he shouted, completely disregarding her statement. "Surely there is a lake or a pond or something around here?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Swimming? Really?" She saved her spot and closed her book. "There's a lake not too far from here if you're that desperate."

Roy grinned. "C'mon, it will be fun! You know you want to get out of the house for a bit, too."

She sighed, a half-smile on her face. "Seems you really want to go. Do you even have something to swim in? I don't think my bathing suits will fit you. Or flatter you, for that matter."

He stuck his tongue out at her as he stood up. "I'll just wear shorts." He started to head toward his room to change, then turned around as another 'brilliant' idea struck him. "We should pack sandwiches so we can have a picnic at the lake while we're there!"

She shook her head and chuckled. "Fine. But since it's your idea, you should make and pack the food. I'll go change and grab us a couple towels." She ran a hand through her hair and left. She moved into her room and put on a simple but flattering one piece suit the color of navy blue. She threw on shorts over the bottom and got their towels before meeting up with Roy in the foyer.

"You have the food you so desired?"

Roy had changed into a pair of loose fitting shorts and a t-shirt. He had a basket with some sandwiches and fruit packed. "Yes, but I'm sure they won't be nearly as good as the ones you make."

"My sandwiches aren't that special. I still don't get why you think they are." She rolled her eyes. She quickly ran to let her father know where they were going. He sent them off with pleasure.

Riza led Roy into the woods along a dirt path. "It's about a quarter of a mile from the house. Shouldn't take too long to get there."

"Sounds great!" He smiled as they walked along. "When's the last time you went swimming?" He was sure it had probably been a while.

Riza pondered that for a moment. "Probably not since I was around eight-years old. I used to go with some other kids when we were all little. But I just kinda grew out of it. Not that I hate swimming, I just never felt like I had the time to do it."

"You sure you remember how?" he asked, concern evident. "Can't have you drowning on my watch."

She looked at him incredulously. "Of course I remember! It's not easy to forget how."

"Hey, I'm just checking. Your dad would kill me if I let something like that happen and I don't particularly feel like dying today."

She shook her head. "You're not my baby sitter, you know. If anything, I'm the one who has to keep an eye on you." She looked ahead. "I believe we're almost there." She could see the water peeking through the gaps in the trees.

"Babysitter? I think watchdog is more like it." he teased. He looked up at the water ahead of them and grinned. "Excellent!"

She rolled her eyes. "A dog might be better." They approached the shore and she laid out their towels. "Have at it, boy. Or should I throw a stick?"

Roy stuck his tongue out at her as he set the picnic basket down, but he didn't need telling twice. He pulled his shirt off over his head and made a running jump into the lake. He was grinning when he surfaced. "Well? Are you coming or not?" he called out as he treaded the water.

She sighed and turned her face towards the sun for a moment. It felt wonderful. She walked toward the water after removing her shorts and put her feet in. She waded slowly into the water. Her long hair began to float behind her. She came to a stop and dove under, then came back up next to Roy. "Happy now?"

"Better." he smirked. "The real question is, are you happy, Miss 'I-don't-do-things-for-personal-enjoyment'?"

"Psh. I'm fine. The water feels nice." She suddenly heard the faint sound of laughter. She looked around. "Do you hear that?"

"Why, yes. It sounds like someone having fun. Something you need to learn how to do," he teased as he started to swim in small circles.

She glared at him. A massive splash was made and hit Roy's face, practically submerging him underwater. She grinned. "You're right. That was fun."

Roy came up sputtering. He used one hand to push his hair back from his eyes. "Oh, now you've done it." He smirked as he started to swim toward her.

She narrowed her eyes and dove under the water. She was deep enough that she couldn't be seen. She swam under him and came up behind and tried to dunk him.

Roy's reflexes were too quick for that. "Oh, no, you don't." When he realized what she was doing, he spun around and caught her in his arms, pinning hers down to her sides as he continued to tread. "Now what're you going to do?" He clearly thought he had won this round.

She was indeed caught by surprise. She looked around, trying to think of an escape. Suddenly her name reached her ears. She looked out. There was a group of people around her age nearby on the shore. Her expression became one of indifference.

"I can't believe you're doing something other than your father's laundry for once!" yelled one of the girls. There was laughter following the mean remark.

"And you're with a boy?! I was starting to believe you didn't even like boys, considering how much like one you are!" said one of the guys.

Riza remained silent, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

Roy quickly released Riza from his hold when the newcomers arrived, suddenly aware of the fact that he was shirtless and much closer to his teacher's daughter than was appropriate.

"Friends of yours?" he asked sarcastically.

She grunted. "They used to be. A long time ago."

One of the guys called out, "Who would've thought you'd grow into such a babe! So well-endowed!"

"Yeah. I was getting worried that you'd grown freakish appendages to go with your freakish personality! Guess I was wrong!"

"Hey, even freaks like to swim apparently!"

Riza looked away from them and started swimming back towards their towels. "Maybe we should move to somewhere else on the lake."

Roy's wasn't having it. He struck out toward shore, but towards the group instead of away from them.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting yet," he said as he emerged from the lake. His tone and facial expression indicated it was anything but a pleasure to meet them. "I'm Roy Mustang, an alchemy student of Riza's father, and I do believe you owe the lady an apology."

The group scoffed at him. "I don't know who you think you are, but we don't have to apologize for anything."

Riza came out of the water and rushed over. "Roy, just drop it. Let's go."

"Yeah, Roy. Just go. Go on and have lunch with your freak girlfriend."

Riza gave them a look. "Leave him alone. We'll go. Your unintelligent insults are unnecessary."

Roy didn't seem to hear her, still focused on the group. He heaved a sigh. "Well, I really didn't want to have to do this, but if you insist." He picked up a stick from the shore and began to draw a transmutation circle in the earth.

Riza was about to chastise him profusely until she remembered that he wasn't that far advanced yet. She was also interrupted by the worried outcries of their tormentors.

The group collectively gasped. "Ah! Look man! We're sorry, okay?"

"Yeah! Riza is beautiful! She is!"

"We'll just leave you two to have your lunch okay? No harm done."

Riza was simply amazed by their stupidity.

Roy smirked. That was too easy. "Yes, I do believe it would be best for you to leave. And if I ever hear of any of you bullying Riza again..." he trailed off menacingly, leaving it to their imaginations.

Riza tried hard not to laugh. She watched them all nod, even bow, and scurry off. She waited until the coast was clear before letting out her laughter. It was about time those jerks got a taste of their own medicine. Who would've thought that this silly boy would be the one to serve it to them on her behalf?

"Wow. Who would've known you were so-o-o scary?" She continued laughing.

Roy shrugged and tossed the stick to the ground, grinning. "I have my moments. They had it coming, talking to you like that."

She shook her head. "They're just hateful. They have nothing better to do with their time in this small town. They haven't harassed me like that in a while. I'd nearly forgotten about them."

"Hm. Well, they shouldn't bother you anymore. Tell me if they do." He turned to head back toward the towels and picnic basket. "C'mon, let's eat."

"So you can draw another fake circle? I'm perfectly capable of defending myself." She looked at his back. He was really something, this boy. She followed him shortly and sat on her towel.

Roy's pride was wounded. "I was only trying to help. A simple 'thank you' would suffice."

Riza looked at him. "I'm sorry. Thank you." She had a stoic expression but she hoped he could tell she meant it.

Roy looked at her and sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just don't know how to handle situations like that, I guess. I've never had a girl friend before."

He realized he had poorly worded it and quickly backtracked, looking embarrassed. "I don't mean like a girlfriend-girlfriend. I mean like a friend, who also happens to be a girl."

A slight blush tinged Riza's cheeks. She brushed her wet hair behind her ear and looked down at the water's edge. "No, I understand what you mean. I haven't had friends in a long time. You heard those guys. They were never my friends-not when I needed them. I'm used to handling things on my own. You're the first person to ever stick up for me. I'll never forget that." She looked at him and smiled.

Roy smiled back at her. "Good. I'm glad we can be friends." He looked at the picnic basket. "So... About those sandwiches." He offered one to her.

She took it from him and ate a bite. "Well, it's actually not too bad." She seemed surprised, but there was a teasing look in her eye.

He chuckled. "Well, I learned from the best."

A/N: Next time, tune in for their Christmas time adventure! - J&C


	3. December 1902

December 1902

Nearly three months had passed since their visit to the lake and Roy was halfway through his apprenticeship. His teacher gave him the week off from lessons for the holidays in case he wanted to visit home for Christmas, but Roy decided to stay. He didn't want Riza to be alone for Christmas. Of course, he would never admit out loud that this was his reason.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Roy went into town alone to mail a package to his aunt. He was surprised to see the town square had been transformed into a sort of winter wonderland. There were still townsfolk working to put up decorations.

Mrs. Delford, the post master's wife, was more than happy to tell him all about the festival that would be happening there that evening.

Roy returned to the Hawkeye household looking excited. He went to see his teacher before seeking out Riza.

Riza was currently unpacking their old tree. They hadn't put it up since her mother died, but she figured Roy was probably used to having one with his family and since he wasn't going home, she wanted it to be a normal Christmas. She sat in the living room by the fireplace assembling the stand when Roy found her. She looked up when he entered. "Oh, good. You can help me do this. It's so tedious."

Roy smiled. "Happy to assist." He moved to join her on the floor and began to help her assemble it. "So, I went into town this morning and they were setting up for the Winter Wonderland Festival. It looked like lots of fun and I was thinking maybe we could go together tonight? Before you give me excuses of why you won't go, I've already asked your dad and he said it's ok, so you can't use that one."

She glared at him. She hadn't been to a festival in years. She barely remembered what they were like. She focused on the tree assembly. "So you're telling me there's no way I'm getting out of this? I doubt I'll be much fun."

"I won't make you go if you really don't want to, but I think it'd be a lot more fun to go with someone. Who else is going to make sure I stay out of trouble?" He winked at her.

She sighed. "I just haven't gone in so long. I'm not big about social gatherings. But I suppose you deserve to do something you may consider fun before your apprenticeship is over." The thought of him leaving in a few months made her very sad, but she would never admit it. "I'll go. If only to make sure you don't blow something up."

"That's the spirit!" He grinned. "If we get there and you hate it, we don't have to stay."

She shook her head, but smiled. "You're as easy to please as a child, I swear."

Later that evening, Roy was waiting by the front door for Riza to come down so that they could leave for the festival together. He was looking forward to it as they didn't have these types of events in Central. He had changed into some nice slacks and a button-down shirt and had his coat slung over his arm as he waited.

Riza came down the stairs wearing jeans, thick boots, and a light pink sweater. Her coat was black and slung over her arm. Her hair was down and a red scarf encircled her neck. She looked at him. "I'm ready."

A small part of her was a little excited. She hadn't been to one since her mother died. She had fun when they went from what she could remember. And, of course, this would be her first time attending with a boy in tow. She'd even put on mascara. She never put on makeup. What was happening? Whatever. Just a little girlish excitement. Surely normal.

Roy couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked that night as she descended the stairs towards him. "You look really pretty," he complimented her. "Trying to impress one of the boys in town?"

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but I don't need to impress anybody. The fact that you seem to be impressed is really surprising." She hoped she wasn't blushing, but her cheeks felt warm. "Can we go and get this over with already?" She started putting on her coat.

He sighed and began to put his coat on as well. "I'm sure it won't be that bad, Riza. Can you promise to at least try to enjoy yourself?" He opened the door for her.

"Don't tell me how to live my life." She said, but she smirked and walked out the door. The night was quite cold. There was white across the yard. It had been snowing a lot recently. Roy had even convinced her to help him build a snowman. Only to watch him demolish it shortly after. But it was fun. She felt so young with him. It was as if she was finally experiencing life as she was supposed to. Roy would be leaving in a matter of months, though. She would miss him terribly. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

"Oh, c'mon, lighten up!" He bent down and scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it at her as they walked. "Don't look so melancholy. It's Christmas Eve!"

She grunted and kicked snow at him. "I'm fine. It's just cold." The cold made her think too much. And too often. She could hear the music from town even from their distance. "It's going to be so loud. Everyone's likely going to be drunk."

"It couldn't be that bad or your dad wouldn't have said I could take you," he insisted. They continued having a conversation much in this fashion until they arrived in town. The square had been lit by hundreds of Christmas lights and there were wreaths, garlands, and Christmas trees everywhere. The air was filled with the smell of cookies and hot cocoa and there was a live string quartet playing near an outdoor dance floor that had been set up for the event.

She looked around, a bit in awe. The townspeople had outdone themselves this year. Or did they do this every year? Not like she'd know. She saw several booths set up for games with prizes, special foods, and desserts alike. She looked at Roy. "What would you like to do first?"

Roy looked around, taking it all in, then grinned. She shouldn't have left it up to him. "Let's dance!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her in the direction the music was coming from.

"Why don't you dance with someone who actually wants to dance?" she complained.

"Because I want to dance with you," he said, slowing down and turning to look at her. "Do you just not know how to dance? If that's it, I can teach you. I used to practice with my sisters back home."

Riza blushed. Why did he want to do these things? She wasn't the type of person to be interested in them. If he ever found a girlfriend, she'd have to be bouncy and energetic to keep up with him, that was for sure. For some reason, though, the thought rubbed her the wrong way.

She supposed, under the circumstances, she should try to dance with him. She wanted as many memories with him as she could get. They would be all she had left after his apprenticeship ended. So, she kept holding his hand. "I don't know how, no. But hopefully you can teach me something simple so I don't make a complete fool of myself."

Roy's face lit up when she agreed. He wasn't quite sure why this made him so happy. He just liked getting her to let herself have some fun, that was all. He knew once he left, she'd probably just go back to staying the house all the time, so he wanted to make sure she at least had fun this year.

He resumed leading her to the dance floor, at a slower pace this time. "It's not hard, I'll teach you."

He led her to a spot at the edge of the dance floor where they wouldn't be in the way of all the happy couples twirling past while he taught her and turned to face her. "You put your left hand on my shoulder," he said as he moved her hand to where he indicated, then took her right hand in his left and put his other hand on her waist. He made sure to keep a respectful amount of space between them, not wanting to make her even more uncomfortable than she already was. "And I'll step forward with my right foot while you step back with your left."

Riza was blushing. From embarrassment or from being with him like this, she didn't know. At least she could blame the cold for her red face. She slowly began to move in step with his feet. She stared down at them to make sure she didn't step on his. After a few rounds, she started to get used to it and finally looked up at him, a little excitement in her eyes.

Roy smiled down at her. "See? You're a natural. Want to try twirling?" He raised their clasped handed slightly so she could try if she wanted to.

Riza weakly smiled. "Um, sure. But don't let me fall!" She took a breath and began to twirl while holding his hand.

He grinned, watching her. He let her spin a couple times, then put his other hand back on her waist to resume dancing. He was still grinning when the song ended. "There, now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't patronize me." But she smiled. "You're quite the dancer. What would you like to do now?"

"I'll let you decide on that one since I chose the dancing," he said.

"You're the one who wanted to come. I haven't been to this thing in years. Let's just walk around, I guess." She put her hands in her pockets and left the dance floor.

Roy noticed her putting her hands in her pockets and figured she was trying to make sure he couldn't grab her hand again and drag her around. He was not sure why this bothered him, but he didn't let it show. He followed her off the dance floor to go exploring.

Riza made sure she stayed by his side and looked around as they walked. "Hm. They've got some games, it looked like. And there are stuffed animal prizes. A fortune teller, card reader. Food. Anything sound appealing to you?"

Roy looked around. He spotted an area where a photographer was set up to take photos of the festival goers. He grinned. "Let's go get a picture together," he suggested. "Then we can always remember this."

She smiled. "That sounds really nice. Let's do it." She pulled her hands out of her pockets and took his.

A brief look of surprise crossed his face when she agreed so easily and took his hand. He'd expected her to argue like usual. As they got closer, he recognized the photographer's assistant as one of the teens from the lake. "On second thought, we don't have to go over there if you don't want to," he said, knowing how they've treated her in the past.

She looked at him. "Why should I worry? I have you with me." She smirked.

This made him smile. "Thought you said you didn't need anyone to protect you?" he teased as they approached the photo area. It was nicely decorated with Christmas lights and other decor for the photo background.

"I don't. But at the same time, if your mere presence frightens bullies then it couldn't hurt to have you around." She winked at him. She looked at the girl. "Hello, Marissa. May we have two copies of a photo?"

Marissa grinned. "Of course! Here's your special prop!" She held out mistletoe and put it on the backdrop over Riza's head. Riza didn't recognize it. She stood underneath it, completely clueless.

Roy blushed slightly when he saw what prop the girl had produced for them, but since Riza seemed to be ignoring it, he just went along with it. He stood next to her and the photographer snapped a couple photos.

Another from the group at the lake shouted as they stood under the mistletoe. "Hey! You gotta kiss her, man!"

"Yeah, give her a smooch!" Someone else called out.

Riza blushed and looked at Roy, confused. Surely he wouldn't kiss her just because they said to? She had no idea that Marissa had been taking pictures the entire time.

Roy would be lying if he said he had never thought about what it would be like to kiss Riza. Gentleman though he may be, he was still a teenage boy living in close proximity to a pretty girl his age. Under normal circumstances, he would never dream of acting on the impulse, having a healthy fear of both her father and her skill with guns. However, neither threat happened to be present at the festival, and mistletoe was just a harmless holiday tradition, after all.

He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, leaning down to press his lips against hers.

Riza herself had wondered for a while now how it would feel to be like this with Roy. He was annoying and sometimes childish, but he was also sweet and chivalrous and brave. Living next door to someone her age certainly didn't hurt either.

"They're so adorable!" Squealed Marissa, taking endless photos.

But this kiss was a big surprise. It was gentle, but also firm. There was confidence in it. She pressed her lips against his in return, unable to stop herself. And the fire that shot through her heart was hotter than the sun. Several "oohs" and "awhs" came from the crowd. Suddenly, she realized what was happening, and instinctively her fist came up flying and crash-landed right against his left cheek, also managing to hit his nose.

There was a collective gasp from the onlookers.

He jumped back immediately, one hand going to his face. "Ow! What'd you do that for?" He pulled his hand away and saw blood on his fingertips.

Riza's eyes were wide and her hands flew to her mouth in shock. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me-you just kissed me and didn't even ask and I just reacted on impulse!" She caught a glimpse of the mistletoe hanging above them and gulped. Realization struck her like lightning. "Oh, wait. That's why…" she muttered. She looked back at Roy. "Here, let's go get something to plug your nose and stop the blood. And don't tilt your head! That's dangerous!" She scolded.

"Fine." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly when he noticed all the attention they'd drawn. "Geez, you'd think they'd never seen someone kiss under the mistletoe before...or maybe it was the punch you threw," he mused as he followed her away from the photo area. "Remind me never to cross you. You're dangerous with and without guns." Outwardly, he was trying to make light of the situation. Inwardly, he was beating himself up for doing something so stupid. Now things were going to be awkward between them and that was the last thing he wanted.

Riza guided him to a bench and she grabbed some napkins from a concession stand. She handed them to him. "I really am sorry. I didn't realize the meaning of the mistletoe." She was silent a moment. "Maybe if you had asked me, I would've consented instead of punching you in the face."

He held the napkins to his nose, trying to stem the flow of blood. He felt like he should apologize for embarrassing her like that, but he had a hard time getting the words to come. Then something occurred to him. "That, uh, wasn't your first kiss, was it?"

Riza looked at him. "And if it was?" Was he regretting it already? It had been so amazing, albeit not as romantic as a first kiss could've been.

That was all the answer he needed to confirm his worry. Of course it was, you idiot, he thought. Who else was she going to kiss around here?

He suddenly felt like such a jerk for stealing her first kiss from her for a stupid holiday tradition, even if it had been something he'd wanted to do before now. "God, Riza. I'm so sorry. I should have at least asked you if you were okay with it first."

She gave him a slight smile. "I accept your apology. Consider it forgotten." A brief look of sadness crossed her face. There was no way she could ever forget it. Her lips were still on fire, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

He frowned. He wasn't sure it was something he could forget. At least now he knew where he stood with her and he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"I don't suppose now would be a good time to tell you I have a Christmas present for you? I was planning to give it to you tomorrow, but..." He pulled a small wrapped package from his coat pocket. He hadn't wanted to leave it under the tree just yet to keep it surprise and had found that his coat was as good a place as any to make sure she didn't find it during one of her cleaning sprees. He held it out to her.

She looked stunned. "You didn't have to get me anything, Roy." She hesitantly took the box from him and looked up at him.

"I didn't get you anything," he smirked. "I made them myself when I was learning how to use metal in transmutations." Inside the box are a pair of simple silver stud earrings.

She opened the box and her eyes lit up. She grinned. "Roy, this is so nice! Thank you so much!" She hugged him very abruptly.

He was startled, but hugged her back. "Good. I'm glad you like them."

"Um. I'm sorry. No one's ever made me a present before. I'll treasure them always." She smiled and pulled back, looking shy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Haha. Consent is important, ladies and gents!
> 
> We can't actually take credit for the idea to have her punch him on reflex the first time he kissed her. The idea came from a headcanon found on the Royai headcanon blog and we just really liked it, so we reworked a scene we had previously written to include it. If you have any favorite headcanons that you'd like to see written out, leave it for us in a review and we might be able to use it in a future chapter.
> 
> We'll update soon! -J&C


	4. April 1903-June 1903

April 1903

Riza awoke at the usual time, but didn't seem to have quite as much enthusiasm as most days. When Roy was with her father, the days were rather boring anyway. Normally she would clean. But memories and dark thoughts plagued her mind, so she settled with just taking her things and going to her makeshift shooting range to practice more. Perhaps later, after she felt more awake and maybe slightly less depressed, she would make a trip to the cemetery. She could make it there and back by the time Roy was done for the day. She didn't want to drag him with her and put him in an equally somber mood.

When Roy came downstairs for his lessons that morning, he found the house unusually silent. The house was normally fairly quiet save for the conversations he and Riza had, but this was different somehow. Riza was nowhere to be seen and he made his way down the hallway to Master Hawkeye's study. Moments later, he emerged from the room. In all the time he'd been there, his lessons had never been canceled for the day, except today, Berthold Hawkeye had said he wasn't feeling well and sent Roy away. Something didn't seem right.

There was only one place Roy could think of that Riza would be this early in the day if she wasn't in the house, so he made his way outside and through the woods toward the edge of the Hawkeye property.

Riza kept both eyes open as she released three shots back to back. Three cans then went flying feet away from the wooden fence that outlined their property. She sighed and made her way to go retrieve them. Her sharp eyes caught a silhouette moving in the distance. She looked up and turned her head to see Roy approaching. She simply stared at him until he came close enough to hear her. "Somebody's out early today."

"Your dad wasn't feeling well, so he canceled lessons for the day," he explained, stopping a few feet from her. He'd been careful to keep a respectful amount of distance between them ever since the mistletoe incident, not wanting to push her boundaries or make her uncomfortable. "Something wrong? You only come out here this early when there's something bothering you."

She was shocked by his accurate observation. Then she smirked. "You know me so well already, do you?" She took a couple steps closer to him, unaware of his mission to keep his distance. "Well, I guess he's feeling it today, too. And since you're here having to deal with us, I might as well tell you. It's the anniversary of my mother's death today. I usually shoot something and go to her grave. My father tends to regress even further into himself and stays in bed the whole day."

A crease formed between his brows. His immediate instinct was to apologize, but he knew well enough the pain of losing a parent and how useless the sympathy of others was. "I could accompany you…if you want," he offered. He didn't want to intrude, but wanted her to know he was there for her if she needed someone to keep her company.

She pondered a moment on this. "Well, I won't force you to go. It's towards town. I usually stop to pick flowers along the way to leave there. You can join me if it pleases you." She smiled a sad smile. "My mother was kind. She was friendly and outgoing. Everyone in town loved her and she seemed to love them in return. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you being there, too."

"She sounds like a remarkable woman. She would have to be to raise a daughter as wonderful as you." His cheeks reddened a bit when he realized what he'd said. "Maybe you could tell me more about her?"

Riza felt a warmth spreading in her cheeks, so she turned to face away from him. "Walk back to the house with me and I'll tell you everything I can remember."

In about an hour or so, the two of them had picked plenty of flowers and had arrived at the cemetery. Riza so far had told Roy all the good things she could recall about her mother. Things like her smile, her laughter, and the tenderness with which she handled her daughter.

"I look like her. According to my father, at least. That may be why he keeps to himself away from me for the most part. But I understand. I imagine it would be painful to have a reminder to look at every day in the form of a person. He was much more alive when she was around." she said as they entered the gate.

He followed her across the cemetery, coming to a stop at a headstone bearing the name Elizabeth Hawkeye. This was the first time he had seen her so animated when talking about something and it was the first time she'd opened up to him about something so personal. "How old were you when it happened?"

She looked at him before turning back to the headstone. "I was nine. I would have been ten in just a few more days." She knelt down to place the flowers gently on the grave. She smiled again. "My mother was sick that year. That's how she died. Usually she would make me the biggest and most delicious cake. They had ridiculous ingredients, but she always just put in whatever I requested. I think my favorite one was the year she made me a cake out of waffles and chocolate. Don't ask me how she pulled it off, though." She chuckled slightly as she gazed at the name. She missed her mother deeply, and talking about her like this stoked the fire that kept the good times warm in her memory. But it also made her want to weep. Weep for her lost childhood. For the years without a mother to help her understand the ways of the world.

He lowered himself to the ground, kneeling beside her in front of the grave. He could see the different emotions crossing her face as she talked. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he refrained. He saw the date of death on the stone, 1896. A plague had swept through Amestris that year claiming many. He had been living with his Aunt Chris already at the time and she had closed her bar for weeks to limit their exposure. "That sounds really nice. Wait, you said your birthday was just a few days after? When is your birthday, anyway?"

She blinked and looked at him. "Oh, it's in a couple days. We haven't celebrated it since she died, though. So I don't give it much thought." She said nonchalantly.

This didn't sit well with Roy. He'd always come from a family that celebrated every birthday. "That doesn't seem fair to you."

"Well it seems rather narcissistic to celebrate my own birthday by myself, doesn't it?" she said. Then she shrugged. "It's been almost seven years. I barely think about it. I just think about her usually and go out shooting some."

He let the subject drop and made a mental note to himself that her birthday was getting close. "Thank you for letting me intrude on your normal routine and telling me more about your mom." He gave her a small smile.

She returned his smile. "Thank you for letting me talk your ear off today. Sorry about that. And I'm sorry it's all kinda depressing and evidently affecting your studies with my father. He should be back to normal tomorrow."

"No need to apologize. I understand. I'm the same way when the anniversary of my parents' death rolls around. Sometimes it's just nice to have someone to talk to. Aunt Chris usually goes with me to the cemetery."

"Oh, I see. How inconsiderate of me. I'm sorry if this has brought up painful memories for you." She placed a hand on his arm.

He blinked in surprise when she laid her hand on his arm, but made no move to pull away. "Don't apologize. There's no reason to. I wanted to come with you so you wouldn't be alone out here."

She smiled. "Thank you, Roy."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A couple days later, Riza found herself waking up to the sound of what seemed like clanking and clattering of dishes. Regardless, it was loud and disturbing. She grumbled and pulled the covers back from her legs. "What in the world?" She made no move to change out of her pajamas, just grabbed a gun and made her way stealthily down the stairs to investigate.

"Well that can't be right." Roy muttered to himself, watching as the stacked waffles he had tried to turn into a cake leaned further and further to the right. Just when they seemed like they were about to topple, he jumped forward and pushed them back in line. "Maybe more chocolate…" He glanced around the kitchen, looking for where he had left the dish of chocolate frosting he had made. Dishes were scattered everywhere and flour was spilled on the floor. He located the chocolate and drizzled more across the top before he stepped back to admire his creation.

Riza rubbed one of her eyes as she stood in the doorway. "Roy? What exactly are you doing?" She gently set the safety back on her gun and placed it on the counter. Her eyes scanned the disaster that was now her kitchen.

He jumped at the sound of her voice, startled to have been discovered, and turned to face her. "Happy Birthday!" He pushed the thing masquerading as a cake toward her.

She blinked as she examined the "cake". "Oh...oh! Wow, uh, thank you!" She started to smile at him as she reached for a piece of a waffle with chocolate on it to take a bite. Her face nearly contorted in disgust, but she kept smiling as she chewed the horrible tasting concoction that was "cake". She forced the food down her throat. "Roy, you really shouldn't have."

He smiled, obviously pleased with himself. "I couldn't help it. I know you don't usually get to celebrate your birthday, so I wanted to make sure you had something this year. Look, I even got balloons!" He pointed to a corner where he had tied them.

She slowly turned to look at the balloons, then back to the cake. How early did he wake up to do this for her? To get all the supplies and try his hardest to relive one of her happiest memories with her mother? She had never felt more cherished or touched. She was so moved that tears began to form in her eyes and she was afraid to open her mouth to speak, lest she burst into sobs. She wordlessly walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes and letting the tears roll down her cheeks. She buried her face against his chest to do her best to hide them.

He froze, afraid to hug her back and risk being punched again. After a moment, he realized she was crying and let his arms come around her in an effort to comfort her. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you cry...Do you hate it? I promise I'll clean up the mess I made myself.."

She stifled a sob and shook her head against him. "Don't be stupid." she whispered. "This is so, so nice, Roy. Thank you." She kept her face hidden. She didn't like crying at all, much less crying in front of others.

He smiled and rested his chin on top of her head, holding her a bit tighter. "No reason to cry...I just wanted to do something for your birthday since you've done so much for me while I've been here and I know you don't usually get to celebrate. I wanted to make a cake for you like the one you told me about, but I think I failed miserably."

She chuckled, still crying, dammit. "No, no, you get points for trying. I won't forget this." It felt so nice to be held by this man. Too nice. She needed to be careful, but for now, she didn't care.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

June 1903

The remainder of Roy's apprenticeship passed by with surprising speed. As his studies progressed, he was kept quite busy, but it had certainly paid off.

The mistletoe incident was never mentioned again aloud, but Roy kept the photo folded neatly in his wallet. A framed print of another photo taken before the kiss was on display in his room. It was the last thing he packed on his final day.

Sighing, he closed his suitcase and took one last glance around the room to be sure he hadn't forgotten anything before making his way downstairs.

He said goodbye to Master Hawkeye first. It was a short meeting as the latter hadn't been feeling well lately and kept confined mostly to his room where he could work on his research in peace.

The hardest goodbye was yet to come, he knew, but Riza was nowhere to be found in the house and his train was scheduled to leave in a few hours' time. He had a suspicion of where he might find her, however, and set off in the direction of her makeshift practice range in the woods.

He heard the sound of her gunfire before he saw her, proving his suspicion to be correct. When he arrived in the clearing, he set his luggage at the base of a tree and leaned back against the trunk, arms folded across his chest as he watched her for a moment.

Riza had on her earmuffs and goggles for safety reasons. Her hair was up in a messy bun. She was wearing jeans and a black shirt. Her breathing was steady as she held the gun, aimed at her target. Over the last year she had decided to invest in an actual stand and some target ring boards to shoot at. Usually she was a little off from the middle. She'd felt more confident shooting at tin cans. She never missed those.

But today, her gaze was focused and her gun didn't shake even a little in her hand. She pointed and aimed at her target board, exhaled, and pulled the trigger. Perfect shot. That made five in a row. She turned the safety back on and gently set the gun on her ammo cart next to her. She removed her goggles and muffs. She could feel eyes on her. And she knew exactly whose.

She turned to face him. He'd grown taller over the last year. He was more handsome than ever. She hadn't brought anything up since the mistletoe moment. She, too, had a framed photo of them smiling. She kept one of their kiss. It was kept in her pocket on her today. It was the best night of her life, even if she had messed up a bit by punching him. She wanted to have the photo with her to remind her that even she, the hermit of this town, could make friends.

Even though she knew she loved him more than life itself, as much more than just a friend.

She would have to let him go. She may never see him again. She'd miss him so much. So, she would always have that photo.

She let her hair down and walked over to him, smirking. "Spying on me, Mustang?"

He smirked. "Didn't think it was a good idea to sneak up on you when you had a gun in your hand, so I figured I'd wait." He pushed off the tree he was leaning on and stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep himself from doing anything stupid.

"You're getting really good," he said, nodding toward the target. "Gives a whole new meaning to your name, Hawkeye." If she wanted to use his surname, two could play that game.

"So you do have sense. It's good to know." She teased. She was quiet a moment. "When does your train leave, again?" She asked. Her expression became a bit solemn.

"Not long now," he said, pulling a pocket watch out and checking the time. He flipped it shut again and looked at her, many thoughts and emotions warring within him. "I'll miss you," is all he said. "Maybe you could come visit me in Central sometime?" He knew it was unlikely, however, given her father's deteriorating health. He knew she wouldn't want to leave him for any length of time.

She frowned a bit and looked away. "If only I could. Perhaps if my father's health improves I can get away." She knew as well as he how unlikely that was. "I'll miss you too." I will not cry, she thought to herself. I will not cry. There was so much she would like to say to him in this moment but the words wouldn't come out. Instead she said, "I'll take you to the train station. I can drive my father's car."

"That'd be great." He forced a smile, though he felt like doing anything but smiling right now. He retrieved his luggage from where it lay at the base of the tree and walked alongside her back toward the house.

"I've applied to the academy," he told her, trying to fill the silence.

She walked slowly on purpose to try and make time pass more slowly. But it was no good. They had reached the car and the keys were in the ignition. "You did? Well. Best of luck on that venture. I hope it works out for you."

"Thank you." The smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "If I am accepted, it'd be nice to have someone other than just my aunt to keep in touch with. I'd like to write to you if that's alright."

She opened the door to the back for him to put his bag in then moved around to the driver's side. "If I don't receive a letter, I will come find you just so I can threaten you with my gun."

This made him laugh. He could see her doing just that. "Deal," he said as he shut the passenger door after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: When we originally wrote this story in 2015, the song Photograph by Ed Sheeran was playing on the radio all. the. time. We got rather attached to it because it fit with the mood of the story we were writing and worked well for the photograph that will make several more appearances over the course of the story. Give it a listen if you haven't heard it or if it's been awhile since you last heard it.
> 
> R&R please! New chapter on the way soon- J&C


	5. 1903-1905

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter features our biggest time jump yet. While the previous 4 chapters all happened in the span of one year, this chapter alone spans two years.

September 1903

Roy received his letter of acceptance into the military academy not long after he returned home from his apprenticeship. Less than 3 months later, he was embarking on the next chapter of his life. As he settled into the dorm room he would be living in for the next two years, he couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed over the last year.

The dorm room was devoid of all personality when he arrived, white walls, two twin beds, one desk, and simple wooden dressers being the only thing in it. It lacked the warmth of the Hawkeye household.

His roommate hadn't arrived yet, so he claimed the right side of the room as his own and began to unpack. The first thing he set out was the framed picture of himself and Riza, smiling side by side at the Christmas festival. Already the room felt more like home with just that small change. He wondered how she was doing and just how furious Master Hawkeye was with him for enlisting. Even Aunt Chris hadn't been thrilled with his decision, but she supported him in anything he wanted to do. Somehow, Roy didn't think his former alchemy teacher would be quite as understanding given his outspoken hatred of the military and the state alchemists.

He finished unpacking the one suitcase he had brought with him in no time and looked at his pocket watch. Still an hour until dinner would be served in the canteen. That was plenty of time to write a letter. He fetched paper and pen from the desk and sat down to write.

"Riza,

I hope this letter finds you well. As I mentioned in my last letter, the academy has accepted me. I arrived today and classes begin tomorrow. I hope your father isn't too furious with me for taking this path. Although, I know he probably is.

Please tell me you're taking care of yourself and still going out to do things without me being there to force you. You deserve to have fun sometimes and not spend all your time taking care of that house all by yourself.

Maybe you could even find the time to visit me here sometime.

I miss you.

Roy"

Suddenly, the door flew open without a knock or a spoken greeting. A young man with glasses and messy dark hair was carrying a box with his most basic belongings. His face was clean shaven, and his eyes were alert and had a mischievous look. He glanced around the boring dorm room and his eyes settled on Roy. He then looked up a little more and noticed the picture of him and what looked like a woman by his bed. He hurriedly slung his things onto his bunk and rushed over to stand less than two feet away from Roy.

"I wasn't sure if I had a roomie or not! Good to meet you, man! The name is Maes Hughes. And I noticed the photo of your lady friend! She sure is cute! Is she your girlfriend? I have a girlfriend, too! Her name is Gracia and she's BEAUTIFUL!" The cunning eyes turned to glistening ones of admiration.

Mustang was taken aback by the energy of the young man he'd be spending the next two years with. "Roy Mustang-" he had started to introduce himself after the man gave his name, but was cut off when he continued. His words died in his throat at the mention of the word "girlfriend" in connection with Riza. "No! No. Not my girlfriend. Just a girl who is a friend. That's all." he denied quickly.

"Mm-hmmm," Hughes said disbelievingly. "That's why she's the ONLY person you have a picture of in here? Oh, my, are you writing her a letter? That's adorable-we haven't even had our first day of training yet." He teased, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Hughes's words gave him pause. He hadn't even thought to bring any other pictures from home, but he'd been sure to grab that one and had even checked more than once to be sure he hadn't forgotten it. "Look, she's not my girlfriend. She's just my closest friend, that's it. I kissed her once and she punched me. The only reason I even kissed her that time was because we were standing under mistletoe. We're just friends." He repeated the last one a little less emphatically than his previous denial. He wasn't really sure who he was trying to convince at this point: Hughes or himself.

Probably himself, because Hughes knew better. He was a man madly in love himself. "Oh, I get it. Yeah. So you started out as friends but you are actually in love with her but she doesn't know it yet because you don't have the balls to tell her how ya really feel." He patted Roy on the shoulder. "There, there, Roy Mustang. Not everyone can be as lucky as me"

Roy opened his mouth, then shut it again, not sure how to respond to such a statement from someone he just met less than five minutes ago. "That's not what I said at all," was all he managed.

The first month at the academy passed by quickly. They were kept busy day in and day out with military tactic courses, weapons training, and combat. Roy was doing very well in all the courses and found himself at the top of the class in competition for the top spot with a no nonsense woman by the name of Olivier Armstrong who seemed to have made it her personal mission to take him down. She'd even gone up against him in hand to hand combat. She'd won that one because he couldn't bring himself to hit a woman, but, truth be told, she probably still would have won even if he had given it his all. She was far stronger than she appeared.

That evening, he was laying in bed, exhausted, with a cold compress pressed to his bruised jaw bone when Hughes burst into the room and immediately began speaking as was his custom.

"Someone got a letter!" he announced, waving the envelope in the air above Roy's head. "It's from a certain Miss Hawkeye."

"Give me that," Roy muttered, sitting up and snatching it from the other man's hand. He tore the envelope open and began to read while Hughes looked on gleefully from the other side of their shared bedroom.

It read:

"Dear Roy,

I am glad to hear that you are getting settled in. Your absence is deeply felt in this house. My father was none too happy about your choice, but when I told him that you really want to help people, it seemed to ease his mind slightly. He muttered a lot and left me alone, so I think I struck some sort of chord with him. So don't worry.

As for what I do with my social life, I still make the frequent trips to the post office. I say hello when people greet me. But there really isn't much to do here anyway. You simply made things more fun by being around, I suppose. Now, stop worrying about me and start training or studying, or whatever it is you soldiers do!

I miss you, too.

Riza Hawkeye"

Roy smiled as he finished the letter, then read through it once more before reaching for pen and paper to write his reply. He caught Hughes's smirk out of the corner of his eye. "Shut up."

"I didn't even say anything."

"You were thinking it."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

August 1905

It was hard to believe that nearly two years had passed since he came to the academy. There were times when he wasn't sure he would make it through. He probably wouldn't have without Hughes to help keep him on track. Despite his early annoyances with his roommate, the two had become best friends during their time at the academy.

Roy made a point to write to both Riza and his Aunt Chris at least once a month during his time away. He'd heard from Riza in recent letters that her father's health was steadily deteriorating and he worried that each new letter may bring word of his passing. Mostly, he worried that no one would be there for Riza when that time came.

After classes each day, he made a point to stop at the mail desk to see if anything had arrived for him that day. Most days, there was nothing, but sometimes he got lucky.

"Sure did!" the girl behind the counter said when he asked this time. She went to the back and returned with an envelope.

Roy couldn't help but smile when he recognized the handwriting on the envelope.

"I think it's so sweet that you and your girlfriend still keep in touch through letters," the girl said with a smile.

But Roy was too busy opening the letter to deny her words and was already reading it as he walked down the hall toward his room.

"Roy,

I hope you are doing well at the academy. Please tell me you're studying? I know how much you hate it but you're not gonna get any better if you neglect it. Don't come crying to me if they kick you out.

I've gotten better with my gun. I've even upgraded to a rifle and I have been hitting the target nonstop. If you are looking scared, good. :) You should be.

My father is still not doing well. It seems he gets worse every week. I feel like it's just a matter of time. He'll be with my mother soon.

Oh, and I have a new tattoo. And I cut my hair off. I bet you wouldn't even recognize me.

Write me back or my next target will be you.

Missing you,

Riza Hawkeye"

He read the letter through a few times and was glad his roommate, Maes Hughes, wasn't there to see him pull out the photo from the festival and look at it for a long while, trying to imagine what she looked like now with short hair. He knew he'd never hear the end of it if Hughes saw him now.

He grabbed a pen and paper to reply.

"Riza,

A tattoo AND a haircut? You sure are making a lot of changes. I'm sure I'd still recognize you, though. Hard to miss the blonde with the gun.

And of course I'm studying. I have you and Aunt Chris both to fear if I don't.

Graduation is coming up. I've registered to take the state alchemist certification exam a few weeks after, so they haven't decided where to station me yet. I guess it all depends on how the exam goes.

I'm sorry to hear about your father. Please let me know if there is anything I can do.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Roy Mustang."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

September 1905

"Roy,

Congratulations! I wish I could be there to see you graduate. But unfortunately, I don't think my father has long to live. If you have pictures, you should mail me a copy! I'm sure you look sharp in uniform. Let me know if I can help you at all with your alchemy exam! Phones exist too if you need quick tips. Anyways. Write back soon! I miss you!

Riza Hawkeye"

Hughes entered the room and saw an envelope on the desk by Roy. "Oh! Writing Miss Hawkeye again are we?" He drawled. "Did you tell her?!" He demanded.

"Tell her what?" Roy asked, though he was sure he already knew where this was going.

"That you're in love with her!"

"Of course not! That's not the sort of thing you just casually throw out in a letter."

At this point, he had stopped denying the truth of Hughes's words. He was in love with her, he knew that now. It had just taken a while for his brain to catch up to his heart.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Riza was monitoring the pot of homemade soup on her stove, somewhat in a daze. The days and nights in her own company had been longer than usual and quite boring. How had she gone about her daily activities before he came? She couldn't even remember. It had felt incredibly normal having him around, helping her do things in the house or just to silently read a book with.

She sighed. Her father was growing worse by the day. Recently she had come in to find her father seizing, and in a frightful hurry she helped him lay on his left side and prayed for him to get through. Not long after that she'd discovered blood in his napkins, she suspected from his coughing. He reminded her of a sick animal just biding the time until it finally was able to let go. And what exactly would she do when it finally happened? She would be alone all over again.

She stirred the soup as she thought about her trip to the post office. Since Roy's departure, she made it a point to check in town every day to see if she had any letters from him. And of course, to mail out the ones she had written herself. The townspeople were kind to her as always. But even the kids her own age were treating her nicely. Guess he really must have scared them, she mused.

Word about her father's illness got out and she was starting to receive pitiful and sympathetic gazes from those who usually smiled and waved to her. The post office owners sent herbal remedies home with her every so often. They never seemed to do anything, but she thanked them for their kind gesture nonetheless. Some had come home with her today after she left a letter to be mailed to the academy. It was currently bubbling up along with her soup.

It was ready to eat. She turned the eye off and prepared a bowl for her father. She made him a glass of water and placed it, cutlery, and the bowl of soup on a tray and headed to his room.

She knocked before entering. "I bring nourishment."

Her father smiled. His face was old, wrinkled, and he looked incredibly frail to her at this moment. "Thank you, dear. Did you go to the post office again today?"

She nodded and placed the tray in his lap. "I did. The Delfords send good wishes to you as well as some herbal medicine to help with your pain."

"How very kind of them," her father said as he picked up his spoon. He looked up at his daughter. She was a woman now, no longer a child, and the spitting image of her mother. A great feeling of regret pulled at his old weak heart for the loss of her childhood because of his selfishness. And now she was carrying his greatest burden. She didn't even hesitate when he reluctantly asked it of her. He wanted more for his daughter. And he had a feeling that Roy Mustang would likely be able to give her far better than what he ever could. He smirked. "So, did you tell him?"

She looked confused. "Tell him what exactly?"

"That you love him." the alchemist stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Father! Don't be ridiculous!" Even with her protest, she could feel the betrayal of heat on her cheeks. She crossed her arms stubbornly.

"You look so much like your mother when you get riled," he said with fondness. Riza froze and looked at him with shock. He never spoke of her mother. She knew deep down, it was probably because of his illness. But, the little girl inside her wanted more knowledge of the woman who helped bring her into this world. She cautiously sat on the edge of his bed and looked at him.

"Did she get like that often?" she dared to ask.

He chuckled. "I should say so. That woman was stubborn as a mule when she came to her own defense."

The rest of the evening was spent in Master Hawkeye's room and study, sharing and listening to the tales of Riza's dearly departed mother. It was the first, and last time, she would ever be so close to her father.


	6. Fall 1905

Fall 1905

Roy had some time between graduating from the academy and his state alchemy exam, so he decided to go home instead of staying on the military campus. Riza's last letter reached him the day before he was due to leave and it was still on his mind as he made his way to the train depot.

He was already in line to buy a ticket for the next train back to Central when he saw there was a train scheduled to depart for Riza's town in just ten minutes. On impulse, he purchased a ticket for it instead.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a small town. Roy was sure if you blinked at the right moment, you'd miss it as the train flew by. As it happened, however, there was nowhere on earth he would rather be.

Having just passed his 20th birthday, he now looked much more like a man than the boy he'd been when he had first come to this town. He had grown a couple inches and his thin frame had filled out with muscle. He hadn't bothered to change out of his uniform before coming.

As he made his way through town, he saw several familiar faces. They all look surprised to see him, but smiled and waved as he made his way to the Hawkeye household.

It was late afternoon when he arrived. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Roy Mustang walked the last few feet to the front porch and knocked on the front door.

When no one answered, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. There was only one place he could think of that she would be, so he left his luggage on the front porch and made his way through the woods.

His breath caught when he saw her through the trees for the first time since he left two years before. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

Just as Roy had grown, so had Riza. She was curvy in all the right places and looked much older than her 19 years. She was wearing her muffs and goggles, but they were a better quality. Her gun was different as well. She held a rifle rather than a pistol or shotgun. Her posture was pencil straight. There was no fear, no hesitance in her position. She inhaled deeply as she took aim and exhaled before pulling the trigger once more.

Perfect again. She smirked, pleased. Maybe she should join the military after all? She was still on the fence about it. She pulled the muffs down around her neck and started reloading when she had a strange feeling. As if there were eyes on her. She didn't react, though. She finished reloading, cocked the gun, and whirled around. She was ready to shoot.

When she saw Roy there, she almost did pull the trigger out of surprise. She instantly pulled her gun up and back before gently setting it on the ground. She looked at him, confused. "Roy, what in the world are you doing here?" Then she noticed his uniform. "I thought you were going home after graduating?"

"Is that any way to greet your best friend?" he teased. "After I came all this way to see you!"

He smiled and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her. He couldn't help but notice how nicely her body fit against his. "I wanted to see you," he explained as if him getting on a different train and traveling in the opposite direction of his home was a perfectly logical thing to do. "Is your dad doing any better?"

She smiled and hugged him back. He'd grown. There was more muscle on him than the last time she saw him. It felt so right to hold him like this. She chuckled. "I'm sorry. You just surprised me!" She sighed when he mentioned her dad and pulled away enough to look at him. "He isn't well at all. I came out here after making sure he was okay. He's on a respirator and an IV. He can barely walk. Roy, he's going to die. If not today, then any day now. I had a doctor check and he confirmed it." Sadness was evident in her eyes.

Roy squeezed her a little tighter, then let her go. "I'd like to see him, if he is up to having visitors."

He wanted to tell her how he felt, but decided now wasn't the best time. Later, after he visited her father, perhaps.

She nodded. "I'm sure he'd love to see you. Let's go."

She walked with him back to the house. She helped him move his luggage inside. "He's in his room. I'll put your things in the bedroom. You know the one." She smiled softly.

"Thank you," he said, before going to his former teacher's bedroom.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The funeral was a small affair. Berthold Hawkeye didn't have many friends, but a few of the townsfolk came to pay their respects. Roy saw to all the arrangements and offered to stay with Riza to help her sort and pack her father's things until it was time for him to return for his state alchemy exam. It was the least he could do.

There was a chill in the autumn air as they lowered the coffin into the grave.

Standing at the front with Riza, Roy reached over to give her hand a gentle squeeze so that she knew he was there for her.

He hadn't gotten around to talking to her about his feelings for her, thinking it would be inappropriate when she was so recently in mourning for her father.

Riza held his hand firmly in hers. She was glad he was here, even if his visit would be during such a sad time. She said goodbye to the few who came and watched as the workers began putting the dirt back in the grave. She watched for a few minutes and then looked at Roy. "Can we go home?"

"Of course." He kept her hand in his as they traveled the short distance back to her home, realizing it only when he stopped to open the front door for her.

He frowned when he saw the stacks of empty boxes in the entry way, waiting to be filled with Berthold Hawkeye's possessions. "Where would you like to start?"

She sighed. She hadn't let herself cry all day. Perhaps after she was alone she would finally be able to let the sadness out. "I guess his office. I don't want to do his room just yet."

He nodded, picked up a few empty boxes, and followed her to the room she indicated. "I can do this for you, if you'd rather have some time to yourself," he offered.

He understood her all too well. She looked at him. "I'll just be a moment. Would you like a drink or anything?"

The study alone took several days to pack with all the notes and books everywhere. Roy couldn't help but notice, however, that his final and most important research was nowhere to be found, even though he had admitted to completing it before he passed.

"Riza." Roy began slowly, looking at her from across the room. "Before he passed, your father told me that you had his research, but I haven't come across it yet. It's definitely not something he'd want to fall into the wrong hands, so we should make sure it got packed away somewhere safe. Do you know where it is?"

Riza looked at him. "Oh yeah. I do have it. Do you want it right now? You'll probably need to get paper and a pen if you do."

Roy was a little confused by this response. He wondered if maybe her father had her memorize the formula and transmutation circle to keep it safe. Fortunately, there was plenty of paper and pens in a nearby box they had already packed. He retrieved some now and set it on the now empty desk. "Okay, I'm ready."

A light pink tinged her cheeks. "All right." She started to turn around so her back was facing him and removed her shirt.

To say he was surprised by this was an understatement. He could feel his heart start to beat faster. "Riza, what're you-" His voice failed him as the tattoo was revealed to him.

"Well you said you wanted the research, so here you are." Her shirt was completely removed and her arms crossed over her breasts, stretching her skin on her back and making the tattoo easier to read. "You'll need to copy it down and once you've learned it, light it on fire."

He was stunned as the full transmutation circle was revealed to him. Forgetting the awkwardness of the situation for a moment, he closed the gap between them in a few strides for a closer look at the smaller details of the circle. He reached out and gently traced his fingertips over a particularly complex portion of the tattoo. "Riza, this is incredible," were the only words that came to describe the research. It was nothing like he had ever seen before.

Riza shuddered at his touch. She was not the least bit repulsed by it. In fact, quite the opposite. Her blushing got worse and her body felt hot. "I haven't seen the tattoo. Just the notes on paper. I'll take your word for it."

When he felt her shiver, he pulled his hand back. His cheeks were red as well. He was having a hard time forming a coherent sentence. "I had no idea. He didn't tell me." He managed to get out, meaning that he didn't know where the research was. "We don't have to do this now."

"No, it's fine. I'll still have to take my shirt off in order to show you another time. The quicker you learn this, the better off you'll be for that exam. This method was the best way to keep it a secret."

He nodded once to show he understood, then realized she couldn't very well see him when he was standing behind her. "Ok, I'll copy it as quickly as I can," he assured her.

Quite some time later, Roy was still working on accurately drawing out the tattoo. He occasionally needed to get closer to look at the smaller details.

It didn't help any that he was a bit distracted by her lack of a shirt and his mind tended to wander. He considered how easy it would be to just put a hand on her shoulder, turn her around and kiss her. He wondered if she'd slap him or pull a gun on him first.

Riza patiently remained still so he can see the tattoo better. It was strange being so exposed while so very close to him. What would he do if she turned around and kissed him? Would he freak out like the last time they kissed? Would he kiss her back? Would he demand she redress first? The thought of all of it made her body feel warm and weak. She took slow breaths to stay calm and refrain from pouncing him.

Roy finished the sketch in silence, not trusting his voice to speak. He was glad her back was to him so she couldn't see the internal war he was having with himself. He was sure he would need a cold shower after this.

After he checked his sketch against the original one last time, he picked her shirt up from where she had dropped it and held it out to her, turning away so she could redress herself. He was sure his face could get any redder than it already was.

She reached out and took it before putting it back on. "Thanks." She turned to face him. "Got everything you need?"

He glanced over his shoulder to be sure she was covered before turning back around. "Yeah, I think so. I'll have to study it for a bit to make sense of it."

She smirked. "Glad to hear your study habits aren't slipping."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That night, Riza couldn't sleep. The hour was late, and she was still laying in bed letting her mind wander with thoughts of recent events. She tried to relax, but she couldn't seem to clear her head. She restlessly tossed and turned under her covers, trying to get to sleep.

The next thing she knew, she was in darkness. She could hear herself breathing, but could see nothing. She tried to speak and call for help, but no sound came from her throat. She grasped it, terrified. Where was she? What was going on?

"Someone please help me!" she screamed, but only air escaped her lips. Then a light appeared. It looked like a flame. She slowly made her way toward it. She didn't speak because she knew it wouldn't make a difference. She got close enough to touch it. When she did, her whole body was set on fire beginning with her back and her father stood before her, blood running from his mouth and his eyes unmoving-dead. He was dead and standing in front of her. She screamed in agony and sheer terror.

Roy shot upright in his bed, wide awake and instantly alert at the sound of her scream. His feet had barely touched the floor before he was rushing down the hall towards her room. "Riza!" He threw open her bedroom door and stopped short when he saw no obvious threat in her room. His eyes landed on her sleeping form in the bed. As he stepped closer, he noticed the crease between her brows and her clenched fists. "Riza…" he repeated, softer this time as he reached out to gently touch her shoulder.

Riza shot straight up. She felt drenched by her own sweat. Her eyes fearfully shot to Roy. "Roy?" she murmured breathlessly. " I...I don't know what happened. I guess I had a...nightmare."

"Can't say I'm surprised after everything you've had to deal with lately." He sat down on the edge of her bed. "Want to talk about it?"

"I was screaming but it was like my voice was off, because I heard no sound. I was on fire. My father's corpse was there, too. It was incredibly dark, then there was pain. That's all I can really recall." She pushed the covers back to reveal soaking sheets from her sweat. Her shirt clung to her body and so did her pants. She sighed and rubbed her face. "I'm sorry I woke you."

He frowned. "No need to apologize. I'm just glad I was here to wake you so you didn't have to face that much longer." He stood to go. "You should try to get some rest."

She wasn't sure what came over her in that moment. She just knew she didn't want to be alone, not after that. She reached out to grab his hand. "Roy...wait."

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her again, his eyes landing first on her hand on his and then on her face. "Yes?"

"I'm going to change and...I was wondering if...you wouldn't mind…" she shut her eyes, "staying with me?"

Whatever he was expecting her to say, this wasn't it. His mouth fell open slightly and he replayed her words in his head to be sure he hadn't misheard. It took him a moment to regain his composure. "Oh..um..Yeah, I can stay….if that's what you want."

"I just don't want to be alone. Maybe just for a little while?" she said so weakly it was barely above a whisper.

In response, he simply nodded, not really trusting himself to speak. Internally, his mind was racing. She just doesn't want to be alone and you're the only other human here, idiot. Don't get too excited.

She stood up and trembled slightly as she went to her dresser to take out a new shirt and pair of shorts. "I just need a second." She moved to her closet and shut herself inside to change in privacy. When she emerged she went back to her bed and moved over to make room for him.

After a moment's hesitation, he eased himself into the bed next to her, keeping close to the edge with a respectable amount of space between them to keep from accidentally doing something to make her uncomfortable during the night. Unsure of what to do with his arms, he settled for laying on his back, arms folded across his stomach. "Goodnight, Riza."

She smiled softly at his figure in the darkness. "Goodnight." It wasn't long after that that she lost consciousness and fell into a peaceful sleep. Due to her lack of awareness, one of her legs relaxed and fell against his.

Roy was finding it much more difficult to fall asleep as his mind kept wandering to thoughts of the girl laying in bed next to him. He wanted so badly to just tell her how he felt, that he was in love with her and had been for awhile, but it hardly seemed appropriate when her father had just passed. He didn't want to risk making her uncomfortable either if she didn't return his feelings. He wanted to be able to be there for her during this difficult time and he wasn't sure she would still treat him the same way if she knew the true extent of his feelings for her.

He struggled to get his mind off of it and fall asleep, so he began to think of anything and everything else. Military tactics, alchemical equations, transmutation circles...but that, too, led him back to Riza and the tattoo on her back and, in turn, Riza half naked...He quickly realized where his mind had gotten and did the only thing he could think of to get back on track. He imagined Maes Hughes wearing a dress and that was enough to drive any inappropriate thoughts of Riza out of his mind until he fell asleep.

The next morning, not long after sunlight had pierced the room through her window, Riza Hawkeye awoke to a man in her bed. Luckily, she knew this man very well. And then, after a moment of confusion, she recalled the events of the previous night. She'd had a horrible dream, and he had rushed in to comfort her.

Then she'd brazenly asked him to stay! What the hell, she thought to herself. Talk about bold!

She gently eased onto her left side so that she could get a better look at him. He'd been quite close to her, so doing so without waking him was a bit difficult. The thought of them unintentionally cuddling in the night set her cheeks on fire with embarrassment. Her eyes observed his short black hair, pushed in every direction in total disarray. He didn't snore, but breathed softly through his nose. His face was so peaceful, and so young in his sleep.

He was breathtakingly handsome like this. She couldn't push the thought of waking up every morning like this from her mind. She fought back the urge to giggle like a little girl at the thought. Happiness bubbled up inside her so that she was smiling like a dope without even realizing it. She wanted desperately to caress his face and wake him up with a kiss. But this was already weird enough without her putting the moves on him while he was asleep!

As the sunlight streaming through the window fell upon his face, Roy Mustang began to stir. When he opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with Riza. Somehow during the night, he had rolled onto his side facing her and they were now quite close despite his best attempts to keep space between them the night before. He jumped back immediately, almost falling out of the bed when he did so. "Sorry! I don't know how that happened." he said, referencing how close they had been when he awoke. He assumed he must have rolled closer to her during the night out of a subconscious desire to close the distance between them.

She sat up, blushing, and looked away from him. "No, it's fine. I, uh. I'm gonna go make some breakfast." She scooted herself to the foot of the bed to get up and flee the room. He caught her staring at him! She was so embarrassed. She rushed down the stairs and to the kitchen to figure out what to make for the two of them. Get it together, she told herself.

Roy sat up and watched her go. He could certainly get used to waking up like that everyday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has left reviews and kudos on this so far! We're glad to hear you're enjoying the story. Our readers are the reason we do this, so it's great to hear from you! -J & C


	7. Winter 1905-1906

**December 1905**

Riza was making breakfast one wintry morning and found herself smiling for no reason. Even though Roy had been gone so long, having him back now made it feel almost as if he'd never left. They'd eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner together every day. She would keep herself busy with her usual routine or occasional gun practice while he studied for his state alchemist exam with the formula she had provided, courtesy of her father.

Breakfast was ready and had been so for a while and Roy still had not come down. That was strange. She frowned and went back up the stairs to knock on his door. "Roy? You still wanting breakfast?" She stood waiting for a response that never came. After a few moments she slowly opened his door.

She found him slumped over at his desk, sleeping. She cautiously approached his figure and put a hand on his shoulder. She started to say his name when she realized he was soaked with sweat. She peered closer at his face and could see that he was paler than usual and his cheeks were flushed. She placed the back of her hand against his forehead and cheeks. He was unresponsive, very hot, but not dead.

Her eyes widened with fear. Roy was sick! What had caused this? Was it something serious? Was he going to be okay? Thoughts of her parents rushed through her mind and tears sprung to her eyes, but she was determined. She would not let that happen to Roy. Everyone else she cared for had left her, and she wasn't going to let him do it, too.

Adrenalin allowed her to hoist his body up from the chair and gently lay it in his bed. She retrieved a cold compress to rest on his head. She pulled up the blankets for him. She wasn't a doctor but knew that to help with fever, one had to keep warm to sweat it out.

She left his room and went to hers to get dressed. She needed to fetch the doctor. Adorned in boots and heavy winter attire, she set out alone to town. The snow had fallen like crazy in the night, so much that it was piled nearly up to her knees. The cold bit into her, but she pressed on. She had to help Roy.

After what seemed like forever, Riza finally reached the doctor's office in town. She pounded on the door and waited. She couldn't feel her face, or hardly any of her other extremities. But it would be worth it if she could keep Roy from dying on her.

The doctor's office wouldn't have ordinarily opened for another hour, but Dr. Katz could always be found there even outside of normal business hours as he lived above the office with his family. It was a rare occurrence during a snowstorm like this to have anyone come to the office unless it was an emergency, so the doctor made his way to the door as quickly as he could. He opened the door and stepped back to allow her to come in from the cold. "Miss Hawkeye? What can I help you with?"

Riza almost collapsed out of relief as well as fatigue. "Doctor, I need your help! My friend is sick! He has a fever and he isn't responsive or waking up!"

Dr. Katz didn't hesitate for a moment. He grabbed his coat, scarf, and medical bag before turning to his wife who had followed him downstairs to see what the commotion was about. "Marie, keep an eye on the office while I'm gone, please." He opened the door again. "After you, Miss Hawkeye."

When they arrived at the Hawkeye estate at the outskirts of town, the doctor followed her upstairs and to Roy's room. Nothing had changed since she had left him there nearly an hour before. Dr. Katz immediately set about his work, checking Roy's temperature and listening to his heart. "Has he been under an abnormal amount of stress recently?"

Riza thought a moment. "Well, he just got back a few months ago from graduating the military academy and now he's studying to become a state alchemist. He studied under my father and was left with some complicated research to sort through. So I suppose the answer to that would be yes." She frowned, feeling guilty. Had the stress done it to him? Her father's secret...was it really so difficult? She gazed at Roy on the bed, guilt making her heavier by the minute.

"I thought as much. Your father was the same way when he and your mother first moved here. He'd work himself too hard and it would weaken his immune system and make him more susceptible to illness." He packed away his stethoscope and pulled a small bottle from inside his medical bag. "The good news is, he'll be just fine. He just needs to get some rest and stop pushing himself so hard. Give him these for the fever every six hours until it subsides and make sure he stays hydrated over the next few days. He probably won't feel like eating much when he wakes up, but try to get him to at least have some soup."

Riza listened intently to the doctor's instructions, making sure she remembered everything. She reached out to take the pill bottle from him and eyed them curiously. "Thank you so much for your help, doctor. Let me know the bill as soon as you figure it up and I will pay you for your troubles."

"No need," said the doctor, waving a hand dismissively. "I owed your father a debt from a long time ago. Not long after your parents moved here, when my son was just a boy, he had a toy he loved very much. It wasn't anything special, just a wooden soldier, but one day in the market, he dropped it and it was stepped on by someone passing by. I never would have been able to put all of those pieces back together myself, no matter how hard I tried. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to try. Your mother, bless her soul, heard him crying from a few shops away and came to see what the matter was and your father followed close behind. I only ever saw him come to town when it was with her. In the end, he was able to use his alchemy to repair the toy to its former glory. Today, that toy is now loved by my grandson. It may seem like a small thing, but for my son, that small act of kindness meant the world."

Riza smiled. Hearing kind stories of her parents warmed her heart. "If you insist, doctor. Thank you so much, again." Her eyes glance over Roy's feverish form in the bed below. Worry was evident on her face. She cared for him so deeply. She couldn't even bear the thought of losing him. She would never allow it, not while she was still here to help him.

Night was falling when Roy finally began to wake. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Riza watching over him from beside his bed. "Mmm...Riza? Why do I feel like I've been hit by a truck?"

Riza looked at him sympathetically. "It looks like you're sick. I had the doctor come take a look at you once I realized I couldn't wake you up. You've got a fever, and you need to take these until you're better. And you need to rest!" She held out the pill bottle with a look that meant this was not negotiable.

"I don't have time to be sick," he said with a grimace as he tried to push himself up into a sitting position. "The exam is coming up in a few weeks and I need to study."

Riza leaned forward as he sat up to fluff and prop up his pillows. She looked at him with a stern expression, her eyes unwavering. "You won't be able to make it to the exam if you can't even get out of bed!" she said, not quite yelling, but close. "You are on bed rest for at least today, maybe tomorrow. You need to let the medicine kick in so you can get your energy back and then you can study."

He was in no condition to argue and he knew it. "Fine. I'll take the medicine and stay in bed if it will make you feel better."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not about ME feeling better, dummy. Here, take this." She handed him one of the pills. "I'll go make you some soup. If you feel like eating we don't want you eating anything too heavy."

When she returned some time later, Roy was visibly more relaxed and less stressed than he had been in weeks. Riza allowed herself to smile a bit as she came to set the bowl down next to his bed on the night stand. "I take it your medicine is finally kicking in?" She mused.

"I'm definitely starting to feel better already," he agreed. "Thank you for the soup. I'm sure it will be delicious. Anything you make for me always is." He began to eat in silence, glancing over at her occasionally with a small smile on his face.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you all smirky and smiley about?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just wondering how I got so lucky to have someone as beautiful as you taking care of me."

Riza almost laughed. That was definitely not what she expected to hear! A light, almost giddy sensation arose in her chest. Was that her heart? Heat tinged her cheeks, "Wow," she said after making sure she could still breathe, "you must have a really high fever." She knew he was likely delirious. The doctor had mentioned something about side effects such as this. But she still didn't expect his words, and they made her so happy and sad all at once.

His confusion at her response was evident and a small crease formed between his eyebrows. "I'm serious. You don't realize it for some reason, but you're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met."

She froze. Geez, he really was bad if he was being this persistent. She tried to keep her poker face on. "Well, Roy, that's very kind of you to say." _Even if it isn't true_ , she thought.

He seemed satisfied that she had accepted the compliment and finished the rest of his soup in silence, setting the empty bowl back on the nightstand. "I really don't know how Aunt Chris talked your father into taking me on as an apprentice or why she picked him instead of another alchemist, but I'm glad things worked out the way they did. Otherwise I would never have met you." As he talked, he was beginning to struggle to keep his eyes open as sleep threatened to overtake him. "I'm definitely really glad I met you." And with that, he drifted off to sleep.

Riza continued looking at him with sad brown eyes. What he said was touching, but she couldn't allow herself to be too excited by it because he was obviously under the influence of strong medication and didn't even know what he was saying. Still, she let a small smile appear. She moved to tuck Roy in under his cover. She gently wiped his hair away from his eyes. She let her fingers linger for only a moment, then she quietly picked up his food tray and left his room.

* * *

**January 1906**

The research proved to be even more complex than he had originally thought. It was the night before his exam and he still hadn't gotten the hang of it. He was beginning to worry he would never learn it as the time passed into the early morning hours.

"I'm never going to learn this in time for the exam." he said to Riza, who had stayed up to keep him company. Her presence was more distracting to him than anything else and was probably doing more harm than good when it came to studying, but he liked having her there. "Might as well just go to bed so I'll at least get some sleep before the exam." He was confident enough in his alchemy that he'd pass the exam, this would just put him over the top and perhaps even earn him a higher rank.

She glared at him. "Roy, you need to have more faith in yourself. If my being here is distracting at all, you should've said something. I don't think you should give up. Here." She pulled out a study guide she saved for this exact reason. "I've been working off of your notes to make this. I made everything simple and put it into words and equations that are really easy to remember." She held out the paper. "You are going to look it over a couple times before bed and you are going to copy it down in the morning so it's fresh."

"Riza, it's like 2 in the morning," he said looking at his pocket watch for reference. "If I don't know it by now, I'm not going to know it in time." He took the paper from her anyway.

"Just do it. I'm going to bed. I expect to wake and hear good news when you've finished the exam." She was about to leave. But she turned back and walked over to him and touched his cheek while she gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Good luck." She said softly, a blush on her cheeks. She then scurried out of the room.

Roy watched her go, a small smile on his face, then returned his attention to the notes in front of him.

* * *

He knew he probably shouldn't be knocking on Riza's bedroom door at this ungodly hour of the morning, but he was just so excited, he couldn't help but want to show her.

Riza groaned and stumbled out of bed. Her hair was wild and she wore an oversized shirt with sweatpants for pajamas. She rubbed her eyes and opened the door. "Roy...?"

He just grinned and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down the hall toward the study. "Come see!" He was obviously very pleased with himself.

She followed him, still rubbing her eyes and grumbling about the time and her fatigue.

He smiled at her grumbling as he pulled her into the study. He let go of her hand, leaving her standing by the door as he crossed to the desk and picked up the sketch of her tattoo from the desk in one hand.

"I think it's safe to say I won't be needing this anymore." He snapped the fingers of his other hand and the paper caught on fire. He tossed it into the fireplace, smirking.

She stopped rubbing her eyes and blinked. Her face lit up. "Roy, that's amazing! See? I knew you could figure it out!" She clapped her hands together.

Roy grinned. "Couldn't have done it without you." He wrapped his arms around her waist to hug her and in his excitement, lifted her up and spun them around once.

He knew he should set her back down, but he was once again struck by how well her body fit against his. He was not sure if it was the sleep deprivation, if he was just caught up in the excitement of the moment, or just that he had wanted to do this for so long. Perhaps it was a bit of all three. In a moment of temporary insanity, he crushed his lips against hers.

Of course, Riza was shocked to her core. It only took a moment though before she fell into his kiss. It felt wonderful. It felt comforting. She felt whole somehow, while the rest of her life had been so broken. She loved this man so much. She just never knew how to say it.

But she brought herself back to reality. He hadn't had much sleep. He was grateful for her help. He'd seen her half naked and was only human. He likely didn't see her in that light. But she would be selfish and enjoy this while it lasted.

Roy felt like his heart had grown to twice its usual size and was trying to jump out of his chest when he realized she wasn't pushing him away. In fact, unless he was much mistaken, she was kissing him back. Maybe there was hope after all? He knew he should release her from his hold, but he was having a hard time getting his body to cooperate when all it wanted to do was keep this up.

Riza continued to kiss him back. She'd dreamt of this many times. Granted she'd looked better, but it was still happening. He wasn't pulling away. Maybe he wasn't delirious? Maybe he wanted to kiss her?

Before she could stop herself, she brought her arms up to rest her hands against his chest.

He suddenly became aware of how her body was pressed against his and knew he should stop before they got a little too carried away.

He carefully set her back on her feet and pulled away, taking a step back from her. "Sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and grinned sheepishly at her. "I should go to bed now if I want any chance of getting sleep before the exam, but I'd, um, like to talk to you about something after the exam if that's alright."

She was flustered and flushed. Her lips were slightly swollen from his kiss. She looked at him a bit dazed. "Um, sure. That sounds good." She couldn't believe she had acted like such a harlot! What would her father say? Well. Scratch that, he totally knew her true feelings. But she kissed him so shamelessly. It was unlike her. He brought out this side of her she didn't recognize and she didn't know if it thrilled or terrified her.

Roy looked at her a moment longer, a tender look in his eyes before he moved back to his room in the hopes of getting a nap in before he had to leave for his exam.

When he woke later that morning, he quietly slipped out of the house so he didn't accidentally wake Riza.

He couldn't stop smiling as he made his way to the train station, remembering the night before. It was probably the best night of his life so far. Not only had he successfully mastered a very rare and complex form of alchemy, but he'd kissed Riza, and she had kissed him back.

He was sure he'd pass the state alchemist certification with flying colors and planned to confess his feelings to her when he returned that night.

Unfortunately, even the best laid plans could go awry. His mood was much different on the return trip from the exam. He brooded in silence the entire trip and when he entered the Hawkeye household that evening, there was a solemn look on his face.

Riza had just finished cleaning one of her guns and heard the door. She raced out and came to a stop at the top of the stairs. She smiled. "So how'd it go?!" She saw the look on his face and frowned. She started descending the stairs.

He didn't know how to tell her, so he just came right out and said it. "They're sending me to Ishval. Tomorrow."

He knew it would happen sooner or later if the war went on much longer, he just didn't expect it to be so soon. Ironically, the achievement he had been so proud of that morning was what was causing him so much grief now. If he hadn't learned flame alchemy, perhaps they wouldn't have seen such a use for him in the war.

She made it to the bottom of the stairs. She stared at him for a moment. "Oh. That's so fast. But I'm glad you passed. You were so worried you wouldn't." She tried to be cheerful, though it was not at all how she felt. She held back tears. He was going off to war! What would she do if she lost him? She couldn't do anything. She would just stop existing. At least, that's how she felt.

In response, he just hugged her and rested his chin on top of her head. He shut his eyes tightly to keep himself from getting emotional. He'd had a lot of time to think on the trip back and decided it wasn't fair to her to admit his feelings to her now and ask her to wait for him while he went off to war. He didn't know when he would be back, if ever. She deserved better than to just sit around waiting for him. Now that her father had passed, she had the freedom to do anything she wanted to do and he couldn't take that away from her. If he survived, he'd come back and see her then, if she hadn't already found someone else. The thought made him feel even worse.

She hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. "Roy, it will be okay. You'll be fine." She thought he was scared. Which wasn't unexpected. War was a serious thing. "I can take you to the station. Was there something you still wanted to talk to me about?"

He pulled back. "I should go pack." He couldn't even bring himself to answer her question and headed for the stairs.

She frowned and watched him go.

* * *

Riza drove him to the train station the next morning. They hadn't spoken much since they got in the car to go. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She wanted him to know, just in case he never came back. But the words wouldn't come. She was such a coward. She looked him in the eyes. "Promise you'll write to me as soon as you're able to. Also, promise me that you will come back alive and in one piece." She said in a demanding tone.

He offered her a small smile, just a twitch of the corners of his mouth. "I'll do my best," was all he said.

He couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever even see her again and it was destroying him. He gave her a hug and pulled back when he heard the train's whistle, indicating it would be departing soon.

Before he pulled far enough back that she couldn't reach him, she grabbed his face with both hands and pulled it to hers so she could kiss him. She did so, deeply. Maybe she couldn't say how she felt, but she could show him. After a minute, she drew back. "You be safe. I'll see you again. I know it." The train whistled again.

Roy was grinning like an idiot as he watched her walk away. He wanted to go after her, kiss her again, and tell her how he felt. He may never get another chance, but the conductor was making the final boarding call, so he boarded the train instead.


	8. Christmas 1906-September 1907

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to our longest chapter yet! We originally intended for Riza's academy years to be all in one chapter, but after adding in the last scene in this chapter, it was far too long, so we had to split it into two. We've taken some artistic liberties with the storyline here. Primarily, our inclusion of Havoc as a classmate of Riza's. We hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Christmas Eve, 1906**

Riza sighed as she sat in the parlor with her novel and cup of hot tea. She gazed around the room, noticing how gaunt and dark it seemed. Nothing looked right anymore. She hadn't bothered decorating for the holiday because who else would have been around to see it but her anyway? She ended her examination of the room and her eyes fell at last upon the fireplace, warm and bright.

It was one of the coldest nights she could even remember. This house had never felt particularly warm or welcoming after her mother's passing, but for some reason, tonight it felt even worse. Her father was no longer in his study, or his room, or in the kitchen. She no longer had anyone to cook for but herself. Roy was gone to war. A war that he may never return from. She loved him but could lose him at any moment. Would anyone even know to tell her?

The thought made her angry. Not knowing how he was doing was killing her. He'd written very little since the war began. She'd responded of course, but it had been months since she'd last heard from him. She had been sick with worry for weeks. Novels were no longer a good enough distraction.

She placed the novel on the stand by her chair and stood up. She put out the fire and made her way to her bedroom. On her night stand next to her bed was a framed picture of she and Roy together at the winter festival they'd attended together. She sighed again and picked it up, holding it before her as she plopped down onto her bed. "What can I do to reach you?" she muttered.

If there was ever a time that Riza had felt like shooting something, now would be it. She felt like she would literally go insane if she could not get in touch with Roy. As she stared at their photo, she thought of their first kiss. A sudden idea struck her. She'd always thought about a career in which she could put her gun skills to good use. Why not the military?

She could help those who could not help themselves. She could fight alongside Roy in battles. She could actually make herself useful to the world by taking this path. It was better than sitting in a house that was too big for just her, reminding her of everything sad about her life. She came to a decision that night and smiled as she fell asleep.

First, Riza cleared everything out of the home that was no longer important or needed. She held onto a few belongings of her parents and of course her photos with Roy, but everything else was sold or put in private storage. Then she sold the house. It was sad, but also a huge weight that had been lifted from her shoulders. She obtained passage and gained entrance into the Military Academy. She felt that she was one step closer to Roy every day.

* * *

**May 1907**

Within her first few months at the academy, Riza established herself as a more than competent soldier and excellent student. She was consistently in the top three whenever class rankings were posted alongside her roommate, Rebecca Catalina, and another soldier by the name of Jean Havoc. Depending on the week, Riza found herself in either the first or second slot in close competition with Havoc. This was a second place kind of week.

"What's the matter, Hawkeye? Tired already?" Havoc taunted from a few yards ahead of her. They had just passed the tenth mile marker on their ruck march with two more to go. Despite the show he was putting on, he was already feeling the exhaustion setting in and it was a struggle to keep his pace up enough to stay just ahead of her.

Riza smirked. "Not even a little bit, Havoc. In fact, I think I'll stop holding back now since it is the last two miles, after all." Suddenly, she was jogging faster than before. She had been pacing herself for this exact moment, just to see the look on this asshole's face. She came up next to Havoc, winked, and continued ahead of him.

His face was worth it, a mix of shock and disbelief. He adjusted the straps on his pack, lifting it more securely onto his shoulders and urged himself onward. It was just two more miles, he told himself. He'd already done five times that amount, so what was just another few miles?

Riza didn't expect this. They seemed to keep even pace, even after all this? She could hardly believe it. Perhaps he had simply done the same as she and was more capable than he let on? She kept her breathing steady as she continued on. They stayed around the same speed for the next mile and a half. It was finally near time to finish, and she was the most exhausted she'd ever been in her life. But she had to keep going. She had to beat him! The finish line was fast approaching.

Havoc wasn't sure where the remaining strength came from, but as soon as he could see the finish line, he put on one last burst of speed. His longer legs gave him a slight advantage and he managed to cross the line just ahead of her.

"Havoc. Hawkeye." The drill sergeant scribbled their names down on his clipboard as they crossed in front of him.

Having secured his victory, Havoc let his pack drop from his shoulders and promptly collapsed next to it, breathing heavily.

Riza wanted very much to object, but knew it would do no good so she didn't even bother. She turned her head, glaring at the back of Havoc's head. She kept her poker face on and approached him. "That was pretty close, but good racing Havoc." She needed to be a good sport, even though he was a smartass and didn't deserve any cordiality from her.

He looked up at her from his seat on the ground. "Yeah, good race, Hawkeye. Looks like I'm still in first place this week, though."

Riza narrowed her eyes. He was making being nice very difficult. "Well, it's a good thing this isn't a weekly occurrence otherwise your head would be as big as your rucksack." She turned and walked away, annoyed.

It was another five minutes before anyone else crossed the finish line and that was Rebecca Catalina. She found Havoc right where Riza had left him, still breathing heavily. She stopped to stretch and take off her rucksack. "You know, if you didn't smoke so much, you probably wouldn't sound so much like you're dying after a run."

"Yeah, yeah. I still won, didn't I?"

Another group of soldiers rounded the bend within sight of the finish line and Rebecca stepped back out of the way to let them all pass between herself and Havoc. Her roommate was nowhere to be seen, but she was sure she probably wasn't taking the loss well. Rebecca didn't know what it was about those two that made them feel like they had to constantly prove they were the best, but it really wasn't any of her concern as long as they kept from killing each other in the process.

She turned on her heel and began the trek back to the dorms, hoping to get in a shower before dinner.

* * *

"We're going out." Rebecca proclaimed the next night when she returned to the room she shared with Riza in a voice that indicated she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

Riza was currently studying what she could for their marksmanship evaluation the next day. This was something she could definitely win, but she thought she'd had the march in the bag, too, and that hadn't turned out so well. "Go out where? I'm studying for tomorrow."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and crossed the room, gently and carefully plucking the gun Riza had been reassembling from her hands and setting it on the desk. "Bar over on 2nd street. They're having some sort of social event tonight and there will be lots of eligible men."

"I have no need to be around 'eligible men' right now." Riza protested. "As if either of us really have the time." Thoughts of Roy crossed her mind and she let a little sigh escape her lips.

"You may not have the time for a man right now, but what kind of friend would you be if you let me go unchaperoned to drink around all of those men?" She batted her eyelashes at Riza and gave her best puppy dog eyes. "Besides, I only joined to find a handsome and brave military man to be my husband, so I can always just retire early whenever I find one."

Riza looked at her as if she had no head. "You are one of the most ridiculous people I've ever met." But the puppy eyes reminded her of Roy, and the sadness she felt threatened to resurface. She couldn't allow that to happen. She groaned and put what remained of her gun away and slouched slightly. "Is this a dressy or casual affair?" she asked, disgruntled.

Rebecca visibly brightened immediately. "Dressy. And before you protest and say that you don't have anything to wear, I've got you covered." She crossed to her own closet and pulled back the door to reveal quite a few cocktail length dresses crammed in alongside her uniforms. She shuffled through them for a moment and pulled out a strappy red backless dress. "What about this one?" She held it up for inspection.

Riza frowned. "I don't do backless stuff. Anything else that shows a little less of that? I never wear dresses so you're lucky I like you. For some weird reason."

Rebecca shrugged and tossed the dress onto her bed. "Suit yourself. I'll wear that one then." She returned to her closet, trying to hide a smirk. She'd pulled out the most revealing dress she had to start with so that Riza wouldn't be quite as scandalized by any of her next suggestions. After a moment, she turned back with another dress: this one a royal blue dress that had long sleeves and wrapped in the front, leaving a bit of cleavage exposed and showing off the wearer's legs without being too revealing. "How about this one?"

Riza sighed. This girl likely had only the most revealing dresses in one way or another. But, she conceded, it's not like she got to dress and actually look like a woman all the time. Maybe she should try to take advantage of this. She just hated that she felt like she was betraying Roy somehow, even though for all she knew he had no feelings for her other than deep friendship. She stood up and took the dress, making her way to their bathroom. "This will do. Give me ten minutes."

Rebecca smiled. Too easy. Riza had quickly become her best friend during their time at the academy, but the other girl never seemed to do anything just for fun and she had made it her personal mission to change that. She stripped down to her undergarments and changed into the dress while she waited for Riza's return.

Riza came out in just a few minutes. "I don't suppose you have any shoes to match this? I don't have anything this pretty." The dress fit her like a glove, revealing a very shapely and statuesque figure. Her short hair did nothing to dampen the effect of her clothes. If anything, the combination made her look older and more sophisticated.

"You look absolutely amazing," Rebecca said as she fetched a pair of silver heels to go with the dress for her. She grabbed a matching red pair for herself. "Would you like earrings to go with it too? Or are you just going to wear the same ones you always wear?" She fastened a pair of dangling gold earrings in her own ears as she spoke.

Riza smiled gently. "I'm just going to keep these in. But thank you." One of her hands went to touch one of the said earrings. She prayed that he was all right.

Rebecca smiled back. She'd thought as much. She wasn't sure where the earrings had come from, but she'd never seen Riza without them in, so she assumed they were of some sentimental value to her. She linked her arm with her friend's. "Alright then, let's go."

Riza nodded and gave her friend a smile. She hadn't expected to really make any good friends while here. She had assumed that only someone like Roy would even like her since nobody else back home really gave her the time of day. Sure, the group of people her age were nicer to her after Roy's "threat" to use alchemy on them, but they still weren't what Riza would call friends. Rebecca had been kind and friendly right from the start. Riza was grateful. While she didn't expect friendship with her roommate, it definitely made it easier getting through the day to have someone to talk to. "Just promise me now you won't get too drunk tonight. We do have that test tomorrow and I doubt a hangover would help your aim."

* * *

They could hear the music playing from a block away. "Wow, it's busier than I would have thought," said Rebecca as they made their way inside. "I'll get us drinks." She pulled Riza along behind her as they made their way through the crowd and to the bar.

Across the room, a young man with brown hair nudged his companion. "Don't look now, but the two most beautiful women I have ever seen just walked in. And the blonde is definitely your type."

His companion chuckled. "I take it that just means she has big boobs?"

"Huge."

"Well, alright then. I can play wingman if you're interested in her friend." He downed the rest of his drink and turned to look toward the bar where his friend had indicated.

"The girls in the blue and red."

His friend nodded. He couldn't see the faces of the women from here, because they were facing toward the bar and away from him, but from what he could see, the one in blue was definitely his type. She had curves in all the right places. The two men started their trek across the bar.

Riza followed her friend to the bar and placed her order. It was a simple cocktail on ice, nothing too cheap but also not too fancy. Riza didn't care much about drinking, so she liked to order only things that tasted good. She looked at Rebecca as they waited for drinks. "It's really loud in here. How can you stand places like this?" She had to raise her voice slightly due to the volume.

Rebecca shrugged. "You get used to it." She accepted her drink from the bartender and took a sip. "It's good for dancing."

"Sorry to interrupt, ladies," said the brown haired man as he approached the bar with his friend in tow. "But I do believe I just heard someone mention dancing. As it happens, I love to dance. Just not quite as much as I love meeting a beautiful woman like yourself." He winked at Rebecca. "Trevor Dawson," he introduced, extending a hand to her.

She laughed and shook his hand. "Rebecca Catalina. Pleasure to meet you, Trevor. And my friend here is-"

"Hawkeye?!" Havoc said in disbelief when Riza turned around.

Riza's once calm face was now contorted slightly with disgust and shock. "Havoc?! What are you doing here?" She yelled. Of all the men! She had to deal with him all day long and now this?

Trevor looked confused as he looked at them both. "You two know each other?"

Riza turned her head to look at Trevor, an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, my name is Riza Hawkeye. It's nice to meet you."

"We all know each other from the academy," Rebecca explained. "Although, I can't say I've seen you there before."

Trevor laughed. "You wouldn't. I graduated two years ago. Jean here is an old friend from my hometown and he looked me up while he was in town."

Havoc was still staring in disbelief at Riza. "You look...different…out of uniform." His eyes strayed to her exposed cleavage.

Riza glared at him. "My eyes are up here, Havoc."

Trevor chuckled. "All this time, Jean, and you still don't know how to act properly around beautiful women? How shameful!" He leaned towards the bar to order a couple more drinks for himself and his friend.

Rebecca smiled nervously. If Riza had a gun right now, she was sure that she would be using it on Havoc. "So, two years ago, huh? Does that mean you've been involved with the war effort?"

Riza perked up at the mention of the war. If Trevor was enlisted and currently on leave then maybe he knew Roy? She eyed the brown haired head curiously.

"Not in the traditional sense. I'm not out there fighting or anything. I do the supply runs, taking ammunition and weapons to the front lines," he explained.

"That sounds very important," Rebecca said.

Riza looked at him urgently. "Trevor, do you happen to know a state alchemist named Roy Mustang? Do you know him and if he is alive?"

"Yeah, I know Mustang." Trevor said. "We were at the academy together and I think everyone has heard of the famous Flame Alchemist by now. He was fine the last time I saw him about two weeks ago on the eastern front."

Rebecca looked at Riza, a bit confused by the urgency in her voice. She'd never heard her friend mention anyone named Roy Mustang before and she certainly wouldn't have just forgotten if Riza had told her she knew one of the 'heroes of Ishval' as the alchemists were being called.

Riza visibly relaxed. A huge weight had been lifted once again, she was so relieved. He was alive! And evidently famous. She was so glad. "Thank you, I appreciate the intel. If you two would like to go dancing I can watch your drinks." She changed the subject.

Havoc watched everything wordlessly on the side as he sipped his drink.

Rebecca and Trevor took Riza up on her offer and made their way to the dance floor.

"So...Is Roy Mustang your boyfriend or something?" Havoc asked casually as he leaned against the bar next to her.

She immediately blushed and looked down at her drink. "No, he's not." She wasn't sure if the guy even had feelings for her! She glanced up at him. "Not that it's any of your business."

"No need to get testy, just making conversation." He took another sip of his drink. "Does that mean you're single, then?"

She gave him a weird look. "Why are you suddenly so concerned with my love life, Havoc?" Her eyes were squinted suspiciously.

"In case you somehow missed it, you're easily the hottest girl in this room and I'm sure all the other guys who keep looking over here are wondering it too. Thought I'd save them the trouble of asking."

She was caught off guard by his remark. "You know that there is a anti-fraternization law that applies directly to us, right?"

"Not until we graduate from the academy, it doesn't."

She sighed. She really didn't understand his fascination with her all of a sudden. But since they had to work together in training at the academy, she couldn't be too mean or harsh. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you to be interested in me that way. Plus, I don't date men who smoke." She tried her best to say it nicely, but she felt terribly awkward having never been in this position before.

That gave Havoc pause. He almost said something, but stopped for a moment to consider. "Yeah, I'm definitely not giving up the cigarettes." He shrugged and took another drink. "I'm surprised to see you out the night before a big test. I figured you'd be busy studying to try to beat me."

She scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. Beating you at anything is simply a pleasant coincidence. I just do my best to get the best results. And I'm quite looking forward to tomorrow. I've always enjoyed shooting." She said this as if it were completely normal for a woman to start learning how to shoot guns from a very young age because she had nothing better to do.

He chuckled. "I'll be the first to admit that we all know you're going to win tomorrow. You always do when it comes to anything with guns. Doesn't mean I can't try to give you some competition, though."

She sipped her drink and smirked at him. "I'd expect nothing less from you. It wouldn't be nearly as interesting otherwise."

* * *

The door to their dorm room had barely closed behind them when Rebecca rounded on Riza. "So….Who's this Roy Mustang guy and why are you so interested in him?"

Riza's eyes widened in shock. "Geez, Rebecca, you scared me!" She nervously chuckled. She went to set her things down and began making the change into her sleepwear for the night, making sure to keep her back hidden from sight. She looked down at the floor for a moment before she spoke again. "Mustang was a student of my father's. We got to be good friends during his stay. I just haven't heard from him in a long time, so I was a little worried. That's all." She shrugged and pulled back her covers.

"Mm-hmm…" Rebecca still looked a bit skeptical, but let the issue drop as she changed out of her dress. "So what about you and Havoc, then? You seemed to be getting along better when Trevor and I came back."

Riza rolled over to look at her friend with a look that said 'are you kidding me'. "Havoc is just a friend. Barely even that, honestly. He smokes like a chimney and is a total misogynist ass."

The other girl couldn't help but laugh at that. Riza's blunt honesty was one of the reasons they got along so well. "I got you. Well, thanks for coming with me tonight. I had fun."

Riza smiled and reached over to turn off their light. "Me, too. Goodnight."

* * *

**September 1907**

When Roy became eligible for leave, he knew exactly what he was going to do with it. First, one week to visit Riza, then the second week to visit his Aunt Chris. It had been far too long since he'd heard from either of them. He wrote letters as frequently as he could, but it wasn't often and he rarely received replies. He attributed that to how often he was relocated from one military camp to another. The flame alchemist never seemed to be needed in one place for long.

He wasn't able to write to Riza often, but when he did, he refrained from mentioning the atrocities of the battlefield. He dreaded her realizing what the research she had entrusted him with had been utilized for.

When he returned to his tent that night, he penned two letters, one to each of them, letting them know his intentions. When he finished, he sat back and smiled. It was the first time he'd had anything to smile about it what seemed like forever, but he was finally going to see Riza again. And he was going to tell her how he felt this time.

When his train arrived in that familiar small town a few days later, Roy was more nervous than he'd ever been in his life. If he could go out on the battlefield and face the enemies of the state, putting his own life at risk each time, why was it such a terrifying prospect to confess his feelings to the woman he loved?

It was a fear of how she might respond, he decided. What if he was mistaken and she wasn't interested in him that way? He worried that if his feelings were not reciprocated, it might make her feel uncomfortable around him. But what if she did feel the same? His heart skipped a beat at the thought.

Well, there was only one way to find out.

He disembarked from the train and set off into the town, wondering if she had even gotten his letter yet announcing that he was coming or if he had arrived first and his visit would come as a surprise to her.

He noticed a few odd glances from the townspeople as he passed, but when they smiled and waved at him, he decided he must just be imagining it.

When he neared the edge of town, he stopped at a flower stand to buy a bouquet of yellow tulips. He wasn't even sure Riza owned a vase, but he was sure she would appreciate the gesture anyway. He turned to continue his trek to the Hawkeye estate, when a voice stopped him.

"Roy Mustang? Is that you?"

He turned to see Mrs. Delford standing in the doorway of the post office across the street with a broom in hand. "Yes, ma'am. In the flesh."

She smiled at him as he crossed to her. "I thought that was you. My, but you've grown into such a handsome young man since you first came here. Hard to believe it's been five years already. But what brings you back here this time?"

"I'm on leave and I came to visit Riza," he explained with a sheepish grin, nodding toward the flowers in his hand.

Mrs. Delford's smile fell from her face instantly. "I worried that might be it." She sighed. "You should come inside."

His own smile faltered and he felt a sinking in his stomach. Had something happened to Riza while he was away? Is that why she hadn't been replying to any of his letters? A dozen possibilities, each worse than the last, flitted through his mind as he followed the postmaster's wife inside.

He watched as she leaned her broom carefully against the counter and went around behind it to fetch something. He approached and set the flowers down on the counter while he waited.

She returned a moment later with a bundle of letters. "Miss Hawkeye left months ago, shortly after Christmas," she explained. "Sold the house and moved away, no one knows where. She didn't leave a forwarding address. I thought of all people, she might have at least written to you, but I guess that's not the case. Not long after she left, these all came in. There had been some sort of blockade at the border that held up the mail from the frontlines for months. None of us knew until the letters finally arrived all at once. It took days to sort through them all and get them to the recipients. I held onto these in case she ever came back and I've been adding all of the new ones to the stack as they came in. I suppose you may as well have them back if you'd like them."

Roy's mouth went dry and he found himself unable to speak. She was gone. After all this time, that's what it had come to. He was here and she was not. And he'd probably never see her again. "Thank you," he managed to get out after a moment. He didn't trust himself to say more than that right now. He stowed the bundle away in his suitcase.

"You can stay here tonight if you'd like, and catch the train in the morning." Mrs. Delford offered, watching him sympathetically.

He shook his head. "No. Thank you. But I just want to walk up there one last time and see it for myself. Thank you for your kindness." He picked up the flowers from the counter and left, walking dejectedly along the dirt road that would lead him to the former Hawkeye estate.

He should have told her when he had the chance. He had been a fool not to. She'd left shortly after Christmas, Mrs. Delford had said. He knew why. It would have been her first Christmas alone in that huge house. He couldn't imagine how she had felt. It had been his own first Christmas alone, but the dates blurred together and war didn't stop for Christmas, so he hadn't had the time to think about it much.

Would she have stayed if she knew how he felt? Had known that he was going to come back for her? She probably thought he was dead, for all he knew. Or worse, she thought that he had just forgotten her. Some of the letters in the bundle Mrs. Delford had given him were more than a year old.

He stayed lost in this spiral of thought until he found himself at the gate of the house he had once considered a home. He wouldn't have recognized it if he didn't know for a fact that it was the only house out this far and that the oak tree in the yard was the same one he and Riza had sat under so many times, reading in companionable silence.

The house no longer looked run down. Whoever had moved in had taken excellent care of it. The outside was white with blue shutters, the fence looked brand new, and a beautiful garden was growing in the front yard. He looked up to the windows on the second floor and counted three over. That was her old room. The one next to it was his.

He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there lost in memories, but a dark haired man who couldn't have been more than a year or two older than Roy rounded the corner from the back of the house, wiping the sweat from his brow with one hand and carrying a shovel in the other. He stopped short when he noticed the stranger standing at the gate. "Can I help you?"

Roy started at the sound of the voice bringing him back to the present. "No, I'm sorry...It's just...I used to live here. I was a student of Master Hawkeye's. Before he died." He sighed. "You've done a wonderful job with the house. I've never seen it looking this great."

The man smiled and returned his shovel to a tool shed and dried his hands on a towel before walking toward the gate where Roy stood. "Thank you. It's been quite the process. The place was in bad shape when we first bought it."

Just then, the front door to the house opened and a blonde woman, heavy with child, stepped onto the porch. The same porch he had stood on all those years before when he first met Riza Hawkeye. "Jim, dear," she said, "would you like-oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize we had a guest."

"It's ok, I was just going," Roy said. "I apologize for intruding." He turned to go.

"Wait, you're the boy from the photograph, aren't you?"

He turned back. "Ma'am?"

"The photograph of you and Miss Hawkeye. It was the only thing in the house that wasn't already packed away when we came to see it the first time and it was the last thing she took with her when she left," the woman explained, resting a hand on her stomach. "How is she?"

"I...I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that, ma'am."

"Oh...I see." He saw the look of pity in her expression as she took in the sight of him standing there with his suitcase in one hand and the bouquet in the other. "Would you like to come in for dinner?"

Her husband, Jim, nodded. "There's more than enough if you'd like to stay and come have a look at the inside of the house."

Roy wasn't sure he could handle seeing the inside of the house without Riza there. He wanted to remember it as it had been when they lived there together. "No, thank you. I really should be going. I want to pay my respects to Master Hawkeye and make it back in time to catch the evening train to Central." He turned to go once more, but stopped. "I hope you and your family will be very happy here." And he continued his walk up the road, this time with the cemetery as his destination.

When he arrived, he knelt to lay the flowers on the grave of Elizabeth Hawkeye, then stepped back to look at the grave of Berthold Hawkeye. "It appears I owe you an apology, Master Hawkeye. You asked me to protect her and I gave you my word, but now I don't even know where she is. Just add it to my list of sins. I'm sure you're already not happy with me for becoming a 'dog of the military' or for the use your research has been put to." He sighed and raked a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face and looking up toward the sky. It was starting to look like rain. "Truth be told, I'm not happy about it either."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Fun Fact: Yellow Tulips symbolize 'hopeless love.' They weren't just a random choice.
> 
> Thank you to all who have read and who have reviewed, followed, or favorited the story. It means so much to us to hear you're enjoying the story! Our next chapter will be up soon.


	9. Sept 1907- August 1908

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter picks up right where it left off last chapter with Roy in Riza's hometown. For those of you following the timeline, at this point in the story, Roy and Riza are 22 and 21 respectively. They were 17 and 16 in chapter 1.

* * *

**September 1907**

The rain had started to fall in earnest by the time he made it back into town and he was soaked through when he boarded the train for Central, but he was beyond caring at this point.

He found a seat in a car by himself and leaned against the window, staring blankly at the countryside as it streamed past. Riza could have been in any of the towns he passed or none of them at all. She could be anywhere and he would never know what had happened to her. Wherever she was, he hoped she was happy there.

He couldn't take his mind off of the happy couple living in her old house. He had to admit that he was a little jealous of what they had. It felt like another slap in the face from the universe, showing him everything he could have had if he'd made different choices along the line. He and Riza could have been happy there, too, fixing up that house and raising a family, but it was too late for that now.

When he arrived in Central, he made straight for Madame Christmas's bar. Her eyebrows shot nearly into her hairline when she saw him enter and shuffle across the floor to take a seat across the bar from her.

"Can't say I was expecting to see you yet. I thought you weren't coming for another week." She took in his appearance from his glum facial expression to his dejected posture. "Didn't go well, did it? Want to talk about it?"

His only response was a humorless laugh at the suggestion.

"You're right. Talk to Chloe if you want to talk about your feelings. Lord knows she's better at handling it than the rest of us" She nodded across the bar at one of her girls.

Roy followed her line of sight. The girl in question was sitting with an officer Roy had never met before, laughing at his jokes and touching his arm. He was sure she'd have all his secrets charmed out of him by the end of the night. She always did.

He turned back just in time to see his Aunt Chris setting a drink down on the bar in front of him.

"I'm afraid that's the most comforting I know how to do."

* * *

**Summer 1908**

The next year at the academy flew by with surprising speed. After that night at the bar, Havoc and Hawkeye seemed to come to a mutual understanding of sorts. They would still continue to compete with each other as it gave each the motivation they needed to keep pushing themselves harder, but they were much nicer to each other outside of competitions. Havoc was even known to go out for drinks with Riza and Rebecca on occasion. He made the occasional inappropriate joke, but otherwise respected Riza's boundaries.

Riza pushed herself even harder for the next year. Before she knew it, she and a few others like Havoc were at the top of their class. Every day was hard, but knowing that Roy was at the end of this road gave her strength and continued to fuel her resolve. She gained a few more friends after the night at the bar with Rebecca, Havoc among them. While they still were at each other's throats during training, they had reached a mutual understanding and respect for each other. He dropped perverted comments here and there, but she usually was able to fend them off pretty easily. She continued to be herself, bluntly honest. And it seemed to bother absolutely no one.

Rebecca and Riza still spent quite a bit of time together, both in and out of training. Most days, they ate lunch together in the cafeteria. That's precisely what they were doing when the announcement came for all second years to report to the training grounds.

Rebecca furrowed her brow in confusion. This had never happened before. She got up to put away her tray. "What do you think that's about?" she asked Riza as they made their way along the hallway with the others.

Riza also frowned as she walked with her, looking around at the other cadets. "I have no idea. Maybe there's been a development in Ishval?" She was guessing, but she also had a strong gut feeling that that was the case. She thought about Roy being out there on the front lines and felt her palms getting slick with sweat. Surely he was fine, she tried telling herself. She and the others gathered on the training grounds promptly. She noticed Havoc and she and Rebecca went to stand by him in formation.

Havoc glanced over at the two ladies as they fell in beside him. "Did you see? King Bradley himself is here." That could only mean something very good had happened in the war or something very bad had happened.

Rebecca craned her neck to see, but was unable to see anything past the tall male soldier in front of her except for the empty platform that had been erected for officers to view training exercises from a better vantage point.

They were spared from wondering much longer. As soon as the last soldiers were accounted for, the commanding officers filed onto the platform, followed by Fuhrer King Bradley. The recruits snapped to attention immediately.

"I know you're all busy with your studies, so I'll keep this brief. The war in Ishval is growing by the day and we need more troops if we hope to claim victory. For that reason, the decision has been made to allow volunteers from the second year class to leave the academy early and travel immediately to the frontlines to provide backup. You have until the end of the day tomorrow to decide. There will be no punishment or reprimand if you don't decide to enlist. Should you choose to join up sooner rather than later, you will be given a boost in your rank and permitted an early graduation with special recognition for your service to your country. Those wanting to aid the war effort should report to your drill sergeant to complete your enlistment paperwork. That is all, please carry on." Bradley descended the steps once more and was lost from view of those at the back of the formation.

Muttering broke out all around them as the cadets discussed this unprecedented development. They'd all thought they had another 6 months at the academy, but here they were being asked to go to war at the end of the week.

Riza looked at Havoc and Rebecca once formation was broken. "I'm going to enlist," she said immediately. As soon as she had heard the words come out of the Fuhrer's mouth, she knew what she was going to do. She joined up to follow and protect Roy. The sooner she got to go to war, the sooner she could make that happen.

Rebecca looked at her anxiously. "Riza, this war is...it's something quite terrible. I've heard all sorts of stories. It's a slaughter."

Riza's expression didn't falter, though internally she was a little torn. She had heard stories, too. She didn't like the way things were being done, but she was a soldier and had signed on to follow orders. "We're soldiers, Rebecca. Just because we aren't there now doesn't mean that the war won't touch us eventually. I want to go now and do what I can to help."

Havoc moved his head back and forth, popping his neck as he lit a cigarette. "Relax, Catalina. She'll be fine. With gun skills like hers, they'll make her a sniper for sure. Besides, I'm going, too. We can help watch each other's backs. Right, Hawkeye?"

Riza looked at Havoc and smirked. "Right. Though if I'm a sniper I think that means I'll either always have your back, or I won't be around. So you better step up your game if you expect to survive out there without me."

He laughed. "Someone's getting cocky. I'm just as good of a soldier as you are. I'll be fine."

Rebecca looked back and forth between the two. "I don't know how the two of you can be so nonchalant about this. I, for one, am not going. I'd rather have the other six months of my training before I get put in a war zone."

Riza smiled at her friend. "I understand. It's definitely not something I'm excited about. But it is something I have to do." A determined look formed on her face. "Hopefully we won't have to even be involved for very long before it's finally over." She would have to kill. She knew that. It was a dark and daunting thought. It didn't matter if she was there for a month or more. It was inevitable.

* * *

The night before the train transporting recruits to the war camps was supposed to depart, the three friends went out one last time together.

Rebecca had had quite a bit to drink and was getting emotional. "I can't believe you're both going to war tomorrow. What if we never see each other again?"

Riza had allowed herself to drink more than her usual this night, considering it could very well be her last night out with friends ever. Her cheeks were just a little red, and her face looked relaxed as she placed her hand on Rebecca's. "Hey, you can't think like that otherwise you'll go crazy. Trust me, I know. We will be fine, I promise."

Havoc patted Rebecca's shoulder, quite toasted himself. "There, there, Becca. We're way too stubborn to die. Isn't that right, Hawkeye?" He looked up at Riza in a daze.

Riza nodded, smiling. "Right. You know that, Rebecca."

Rebecca let out a long sigh. "I know….But there's always that chance that something could happen to any one of us…"

"Something could happen to any of us regardless of if we go to war or not," Havoc pointed out.

"I know...Just...just promise me that when all of this is done, we'll all make it a point to get together and go for drinks again, okay?"

"I'm in." said Havoc. "I'm always up for drinking with pretty girls."

Riza rolled her eyes at his comment but nodded her head. "I'm with the pervert over there."

Both Havoc and Rebecca laughed at that.

The three stayed until the bar closed, chatting and drinking At the end of the night, Havoc insisted on seeing the ladies safely back to their rooms despite having difficulty walking in a straight line himself.

When they arrived, Rebecca bid him farewell with a hug, then disappeared into the room.

Riza turned to look at him, feeling a decent buzz from the drinks, but not quite drunk. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning, then, Havoc. Get some sleep."

He watched her for a moment. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like much longer. The reality of what they were about to do came crashing down on him. They were going to war. It was entirely possible that one, or both, of them could die. And so, in a moment of temporary insanity fueled by alcohol, he grabbed Riza by the waist and kissed her.

Riza was too startled to stop him, but maybe two seconds after his lips made contact with hers, an instinct kicked in and her fist came flying up and socked Havoc in the face. She could feel the bone of his nose and cheek beneath her knuckles. He was forced away from her and she stood there, shocked by his kiss as well as her reaction to it.

He stumbled back, hands automatically coming up to cradle his nose. "Ow...shit, Hawkeye...That hurt." He pulled his hand back and saw blood. "Remind me to never do that again…."

Riza gasped. "Shit! I'm so sorry, Jean!" She apologized and flung her dorm room door open. "Sorry, Rebecca, he's got a bloody nose!" She ran to their bathroom to grab tissue for him.

Rebecca had already changed into her pajamas and was sitting on her bed. She gave Havoc a weird look. "What in the world happened to you?" she asked.

"He kissed me and I punched him in the face!" Riza yelled from the bathroom. "God, just come take the tissue from me, Havoc. I've gotta wash the taste of cigarettes from my mouth."

"You kissed her?!" shouted Rebecca.

"Clearly not my best decision," Havoc muttered as he shuffled across the room to take the tissue from her and hold it to his nose.

Riza leaned over the sink, scrubbing her face with water. She then commenced brushing her teeth. She felt like she had betrayed not only Roy, but also herself. She should have seen this coming. It was the drinks, she mused. Otherwise her guard would not have been down and she could have stopped him before he had actually been able to kiss her. She'd only ever kissed Roy and cherished that fact. Havoc had ruined her streak. But, in this case, she would forgive him because he was only being a drunk idiot. Hopefully he learned his lesson.

Rebecca began to lecture Havoc about kissing women without their permission and showed him out the door. "You had better apologize to her tomorrow, when you're not drunk! Now go to bed and get some rest!" she ordered.

* * *

Havoc found Riza on the train taking them, and another fifty or so soldiers, to the east the next morning. "Hey….Mind if I sit here?" he asked, gesturing to the seat across from her.

Riza looked up at him with tired eyes. "Sure, go ahead." She nodded.

He sank down into the seat, looking a bit ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry...about last night. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know why I did. Just got a bit freaked out by the thought of going to war and not having a chance to kiss a pretty girl for awhile I guess… Regardless, I shouldn't have acted on the impulse and I hope you won't hold it against me. I'd like for us to still be friends."

Riza was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at him with a small smile. "Of course. Consider it forgotten. We're good."

His shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm glad. I'd hate to have already lost the only friend I have out here."

They passed the rest of the train ride talking about their lives before the academy. When the train arrived at the station, they disembarked to join the queue of other soldiers waiting for their assignments. As each one approached the officers and presented their dog tags, they were given their assignment and sent to the transport vehicles that would take them in groups to the camp they had been assigned to.

Havoc stepped up first and presented his dog tags.

"Jean Havoc," the officer read as he shuffled papers to find the appropriate assignment and handed it to him. "You'll be with the snipers headed to the frontlines." He nodded in the direction of a group of three other soldiers grouped around a transport vehicle and Havoc went to join them.

Riza was in line after Havoc to receive her orders. "Riza Hawkeye. You'll also be with the snipers in the frontlines." Riza nodded and proceeded to follow Havoc.

* * *

**August 1908**

It had been weeks since they arrived on the frontlines. It felt like years. Riza had made her first kill and more on her first day. She was usually alone and stationed on the tops of buildings to remain out of sight. Her entire day was filled with waiting, watching, shooting, and thinking. It was hot in this desert land. She made sure to drink her water sparingly. She had shifts that lasted anywhere from 6 to 10 hours, depending on when her replacement was told to show up. Hers was usually Havoc. She would talk with him for a while during their switch. His eyes, much like hers, were tired and haunted. He'd killed nearly as many Ishvalans as she.

It was good to see him, though. They huddled together for evening meals around the campfire. They tried to talk of pleasant things to take their minds off the atrocities being committed here, but she knew that they lingered in the backs of both their minds.

Every day when she awoke, Riza hoped for word of Roy. Usually she heard rumors about his victory in battle, so at least she knew he was alive. There had been a few stake outs where she could see the flames spreading upward, then smoke after. The horror of knowing what he was doing did not escape her mind. It was difficult to come to terms with what he was using his alchemy for. But she knew he had no choice since he was a soldier. She felt sad, angry, and disappointed in him. But she also deeply wished to see him again.

* * *

War was hell. There was no other word to describe it. When Roy had joined the military, he'd had naive ideals about changing the country for the better. Now, he felt like nothing more than a human weapon.

The only things that kept him going were the occasional letters he was able to get from home and his fellow soldiers, like his former roommate, Maes Hughes.

He was on patrol duty with Hughes one afternoon, walking the perimeter of their camp. As usual, his companion was doing enough talking for the them both. His two favorite topics were his girlfriend, Gracia, and Roy's lack of a love life.

Having exhausted the first, he moved on to the second.

"So, why didn't you ever tell her?"

Roy frowned. He didn't have to ask who he meant. "Didn't think it was fair to ask her to wait for me. Not sure she'd even want me anymore after everything I've done here."

Hughes nodded in understanding.

"I tried to go see her when I had leave last year, but she wasn't there anymore. I'll probably never see her again. Probably for the best."

"Some other guy probably realized how great she was and married her. Nice girl like her is sure to attract lots of men looking for a wife."

Roy cut him a look, but sighed. "If she does find someone, I'll be happy for her. She deserves to have someone who can be there for her instead of a monster like me."

Hughes was about to object to Roy's description of himself when a single shot rang out across the sands followed by a thud. On instinct, both men dove for cover and Roy raised a hand, prepared to use his flames while Hughes palmed one of his knives. They saw the fallen Ishvalan who seemed to have been sneaking up on them. Sudden understanding dawned on Roy and he looked around for the source of the shot, but he couldn't spot the sniper from his position.

* * *

Late that same day, Hughes and Roy made their way back to camp and give their report. They joined the other off duty men around a fire in the center of the camp where Hughes told anyone who would listen about their near death experience and mysterious savior.

"Probably the Hawk's Eyes," Roy heard someone mutter.

The name stunned him and he whirled around to face the speaker, a young sandy-haired soldier he had never spoken to before. "What was that, soldier?"

"The Hawk's Eyes," the young man repeated, the cigarette in his mouth dangerously close to falling out as he spoke. "Best sniper we've got, sir. We were at the academy together."

Roy felt suddenly cold with dread. It couldn't be her. It was just a silly code name for a skilled sniper much like his Flame Alchemist title.

* * *

Riza had been on a rooftop in Ishval for most of the day. Today had consisted of about 15 kills. She had just shot one who was sneaking up on her comrades. She was replaced by another sniper not long after, so she returned to her camp. She overheard her name being spoken and walked in that general direction. Then she saw him. The man she joined to protect. The utter joy she felt at seeing him again nearly overwhelmed her to the point of breaking code. She pushed it all down so that she could remain professional.

She approached him and pulled her hood down. "Hey. Remember me?" She greeted.

"Speak of the devil and she will appear," Havoc muttered, rising from his seat by the fire so she could have it if she wanted it. "Good to see you, Hawkeye."

Roy was stunned. His heart plummeted into his stomach and his mouth went dry.

Hughes heard a female voice, an uncommon occurrence in the camp, and broke away from his dramatic retelling of their adventure to see who it was. She looked a lot different from the Christmas Eve photo he had seen of her, but she was still recognizable. "Is that...?" He trailed off as he recalled the conversation he and Roy had just been having earlier that afternoon and turned to see how he had reacted to this new arrival. Poor guy.

She smiled at Havoc, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She'd killed too many people today. She looked back at Roy and saw his friend beside him. She then recognized the tops of their heads. "Oh. Guess you owe me a thank you for saving your lives earlier."

"I do thank you. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Hawkeye," Hughes extended a hand to her. "I'm Captain Maes Hughes. I think you already know Major Mustang."

She nodded at Hughes. "A pleasure, perhaps under better circumstances."

Roy was still having trouble processing what he was seeing. "Why didn't you tell me you joined the military?" he asked quietly.

She nodded her head away from the group signaling for him to follow her away. When they were alone, she looked at him. "I stopped hearing from you years ago. I didn't even know if you were alive. So I packed up and left for the academy, because I decided that I couldn't let you go in alone. I have skills that the military needed. I thought I'd help keep an eye on you. And judging by what happened earlier, I was right."

He sighed. "Thank you, by the way." Inside, he felt dead. Whatever hopes he had of having a future with her after the war were evaporating before his eyes.

"Of course." She was a little mad. He didn't seem at all happy to see her, even after all this time apart. Maybe he really didn't feel anything more for her than friendship? Maybe he had even stopped caring and thinking about her completely? With how this war was going, she wouldn't be entirely surprised. But the thought still pained her greatly.

He wanted to hug her, but he felt like her uniform was a wall between them. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, I'm just surprised to see you. This isn't a place I'd wish for anyone to have to be."

"I know what you mean." She nodded. "I'm not proud of anything I've done here. I just wanted to see you again. I wanted to know you were okay."

He smiled then, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I wanted to see you again, too," he admitted. "Just wish it were under better circumstances."

Relief washed over her at the sound of his words. She gave him a weak smile. "I know. But you know once I set my mind to something, it's unlikely to change."

He chuckled. "That's an understatement."

* * *

A few weeks passed and Roy managed to work out his patrol schedule to accompany Riza on patrol duty some nights. Now that he knew she was on the battlefield, he worried about her. When she was in sniper position, he knew she was safe. She was high above everyone else and had good visibility of her surroundings. Patrol was another story, so he felt better if he could be there.

It was late and they were just making small talk to pass the time as they walked along, reminiscing about a more innocent time before the war.

"Remember that time I tried to cook dinner for you on your birthday and almost set the kitchen on fire?" He laughed.

Riza laughed. "Yeah. Ironic now that you can set fire without trying to cook something." She smiled. "It was very sweet, all the same. Especially that crazy cake you tried to make me, too. Do you remember when I made you that curry chicken entree and you were freaking out about how spicy was? I barely put anything in it."

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that," he joked. "What about that snowman we built? Or when I taught you how to dance at the festival?"

She smiled at the memory, but her eyes were focused. She made a good soldier. "I do remember. I took some lessons while you were away." She had, because it wasn't like there was anything else to do.

"Did you? You'll have to show me sometime." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. They fell into a companionable silence, walking along the patrol route side by side.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and felt the photo he kept there of their kiss. It was well-worn from being unfolded and refolded so many times over the past few years. Whenever he would face a particularly difficult moment during the war, he would slip his hand into his pocket and feel it there. It comforted him somehow.

After a moment, he spoke again. "I was in love with you then, you know." _Still am, if I'm being honest with myself_ , he thought.

He wasn't sure why he felt he should tell her now. It was far too late, but he felt he had to say it out loud anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, we know we're terrible people for cutting the chapter there, but we believe in always leaving your readers wanting more ;)


	10. 1908-1909, Ishval

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter picks up right where the last one left off with Roy's confession in Ishval. We've taken some artistic liberties with the story line in this one as well. Primarily, Havoc being with them in Ishval since that was never indicated in the manga or anime and the final scene of this chapter which is loosely based on a scene that did occur in the manga and anime, but that we have altered to suit our story.

"I was in love with you then, you know." _Still am, if I'm being honest with myself_ , he thought.

He wasn't sure why he felt he should tell her now. It was far too late, but he felt he had to say it out loud anyway.

Riza stopped and stared at him. Hers was a look of shock, and happiness, and sadness all in one. "But...why didn't you...? Why didn't you just tell me?!"

He stopped walking when she did. "I was going to, but there just never seemed to be a good time," he shrugged, just a small lift of his shoulders. It didn't make a difference now. He'd made the mistake and now he had to live with it.

"I wish you had told me. I didn't know, Roy. I always thought maybe you did, but was never sure. I would've-" she paused. She decided she might as well say it, too. "I would've said I felt the same way. I have since that year you taught me how to dance. That and the other time you kissed me. You never said anything so I didn't want to assume you did. That's why I joined. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you. If I was here, I could help you and protect you. Plus, I was thinking of joining the military anyway because of my way with guns."

He gave a short, humorless laugh at the irony of the whole thing.

"Looks like we both screwed up then," he said. "I wanted to tell you, but the timing was never right. I didn't want to put it in a letter and something always got in the way when I tried to tell you in person. First your father died, and next I was being shipped off to this God forsaken place." He motioned to the empty landscape around them. "I didn't think it was fair to you to ask you to wait for me, so I was going to tell you after the war if I made it back, but..." He trailed off. She knew how that one ended.

She shook her head and beckoned for him to keep walking with her. "The military doesn't have to be a permanent thing, you know. But I know you and I have worked too hard not to earn our place here. This battle is terrible. I'm sure, with your power, you've killed many. As I have done with weapons. And it may not mean as much to you as it does to me, but I for one am glad that at least we can be here in the dark times together, fighting side by side." She sighed. The fates were certainly crue for throwing them into this situation. "Considering the law, I'll understand if you don't want much to do with me."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes as they walked. "Hey, now, none of that. Of course I still want you around. Who else is going to watch my back for me?"

He was trying to make light of the situation, but really he felt worse now than he did. She felt even more out of reach than she did before now that he knew he could have had her if he had just been man enough to tell her how he felt so long ago.

She gave him a look, then smirked a little. "True enough. You were nearly killed the other day because your senses weren't focused. I bet you were in incessantly chatting with that Hughes guy." Her expression was solemn. "If I hadn't been there, you could've died. Do you understand what it would've been like to find out you died while I'm left in an empty house waiting to hear from you? The fear? No, I don't suppose you do. However, I am here as a soldier now. Regardless of how inhumane this war is, I still intend to do my duty." She looked back at him. "But I want to keep an eye on you, too."

He smirked a bit at her description of Hughes. If only she knew what they had been talking about.

"And I intend to keep protecting you, as well. After all, your father did ask me to look after you."

"I'm the hawk's eyes around here." She teased. "My eyes are better than yours."

* * *

A few more weeks passed with no end in sight to the war. Roy returned from a mission. Exhausted, he returned to his tent instead of going further into the camp.

Elsewhere in the camp, a group of soldiers were eating dinner around the fire. There was a commotion nearby.

Maes Hughes looked up, startled, as medics ran past. "Wonder what happened?"

Havoc plopped down in a seat across from him, having just returned from patrol. "Rumor has it a state alchemist got ambushed in a mission earlier. It's not looking good." he said. "They haven't released his identity yet."

Riza overheard this because was sitting at the next table over and started to worry. She instantly stopped eating her food. She excused herself and rushed out.

Hughes watched this and smirked, amused. Someone was worried.

Riza rushed through the camp until she came to Roy's tent. She ran inside. "Roy! I mean, Major!"

Roy looked up from the letter he was writing to his aunt, instantly alert. He was on his feet immediately when he saw her expression. "What is it? What's happened?"

Riza saw him standing there in one piece. Relief flooded her and she let out a broken sob. "I thought you were attacked! I'm sorry I burst in on you like this."

Acting on instinct, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. He had never seen her this scared before. "Hey, it's alright. I'm still here, see?" He took one of her hands and moved it to his chest so she could feel his heart beating.

Tears pooled in her eyes. She had never been so scared in her entire life. She could never leave his side unless she could trust who she left him with. She wanted so badly to be with him and keep him safe. Her fingers on his chest scrunched together, clutching his shirt. She looked into his eyes.

"Feel any better?" He smiled at her and reached up to brush her bangs back out of her face.

"Yes. I'm just so incredibly relieved that you're safe." She wiped her eyes. "Pardon my intrusion, sir." Looked at him. "I'd die...if someone hurt you. I'd shoot them first. But I'd still die."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sure you would shoot them, too." He wiped away a stray tear for her.

He was touched by how much she cared for him. He knew he shouldn't be holding her like this, but when it was just the two of them, it was hard not to fall back into old habits from before the war.

"I want to go back in time and tell you how I really felt back when I first realized it. I wish I could so badly." She noticed the way he was holding her and knew it wasn't allowed, but it had been so long that she couldn't resist letting him do it. "I've missed you."

In response, he hugged her a bit tighter. "If only it were that easy," he said about going back in time. "It's my fault, too. I should have told you."

He pulled back just far enough to be able to gaze into her eyes. It was killing him to be this close to her but still so far away. "What if, just for tonight, we forget about being the Hawk's Eyes and the Flame Alchemist and go back to just being Riza and Roy?"

She looked up at him, intrigued and enamored, but weary. "I . . . would like that very much."

He looked at her a moment longer, a small smile on his face, before leaning down to press his lips to hers. He kissed her slowly at first, then with increasing intensity. Here with her like this, he felt human again for the first time since he came to Ishval.

Riza lacked the words to express the way she was feeling at this moment. Roy's lips on hers just made sense. It all made perfect sense. He was her best friend. She loved him so much it threatened to burn her alive with its heat. Her lips moved with his, her handed slowly working their way up his back, feeling all the contoured muscles beneath them.

He let her go for a moment to shrug out his uniform jacket. It was hard to pretend they were just Roy and Riza again with it on, symbolizing everything keeping them apart. Left in a t-shirt and his uniform pants, he pulled her back to him, one hand on her waist and the other at the back of her neck as he continued to kiss her.

Riza moaned slightly. This feeling building up inside her chest was too incredible, too intense. How she had missed him. Missed the feel of his lips on hers. She brought a hand up to run through his hair before resting it just above his neck.

Against his better judgment, he slowly broke the kiss. How could something that felt so right be considered so wrong? He wished this could last forever, but knew that they'dl have to go back to the way things were tomorrow.

She was breathless. She gazed into his eyes and smiled softly. She could tell what he was thinking, because she was thinking the very same thing. "I-I still love you. I always have."

He pulled her against him again, hiding his face in her hair. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to maintain whatever self-control he still had. "I feel the same."

She held him to her. She wished they could stay like this forever. "What would Roy and Riza do now?" She asked quietly. Her heart was racing.

He smiled slightly. He kissed her forehead and then her cheek. "Whatever they want to do," he murmured softly against it. "Although, I think Roy might like for Riza to finally have all the letters he wrote her." He reluctantly pulled away from her and reached under his cot. He returned after a moment with the bundle of letters he'd kept. "Here."

She frowned and slowly took them from him. She looked through, observing all the postmark dates. "How did you even get these?" she asked, genuinely confused. Had they all been sent back here to Ishval?

"Mrs. Delford gave them to me. I went back to visit you when I was on leave...but you weren't there anymore. She found me in town and broke the news," he explained. " She'd been holding onto them in case you ever came back. I wrote to you at least once every month that I was away, but I never got any responses after the first few. She told me there'd been some sort of blockade keeping the mail from going through for months and that no one knew about it until all the letters came flooding in one day." He frowned. "I really thought I'd never see you again after that day."

Her eyes widened in response and tears threatened to escape. "I never knew. Roy, I'm so sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I thought….I thought maybe you had died! Or that you'd...forgotten about me. I couldn't stand the waiting any longer so I decided to get out of that house. It held nothing but painful memories for me. Especially when I thought you'd never come back." A tear managed to trickle its way down one of her cheeks. She clutched the bundle of letters tightly to her chest in a sorrowful embrace. He'd come to see her, and she hadn't been there! She felt like a fool.

"It seems like all I ever do is make you cry," he said softly. "I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention...I just thought you should have them since they were meant for you. I had gotten flowers for you too, that day, but I'm afraid I don't have those anymore."

The comment about the flowers made the knife in her heart twist, and she broke into more tears. She bit her lip to stifle her sobbing, embarrassed. It was too much. Too many emotions were overflowing from her, and it felt as though her chest would break. Sadness, and regret, all of it was so heavy. She brought a hand up to hide her face from his view. "I...should probably get back. Thank you for the letters. I'm sorry, again." She turned to go.

He stepped forward and caught her wrist before she could leave then gently pulled her into his arms. He held her there tightly against his chest. "Don't apologize. You did what was right for you and I understand. I know it must have been lonely in that house after I left. I just wish I could have been there for you. Or that you could have gotten the letters to help you through...then maybe everything could have turned out differently." he sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you about the letters, after all."

She shook her head, keeping her face hidden. "No, it's okay. I'm glad you gave me the letters. You can let me go, I'm fine. I don't want you to see me like this." She tried to push against him. She wanted to run away back to her tent and not come out until morning. She needed a good cry, but she would die before letting him watch her have one.

"I'm not going to let you be alone, not like this." For years he hadn't been able to be there for her when she needed someone and he wasn't going to let that happen ever again if he could help it. "I love you, Riza Hawkeye. Nothing is going to change that. You don't have to hide from me."

Of course this only made her cry harder. She knew he wouldn't let her go. He was such a stubborn man. She lifted her arms to return his embrace as she tried to stop the tears. At least long enough to convince him that she was all right. "I...love you, too." She muttered against his chest.

He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes."I'm terrible at this whole comforting you thing, aren't I? I'm trying to make you feel better, but you just keep crying more…"

"Just...don't speak for a moment. Just hold me." she whispered. "Just for a moment, Roy. Then I really should go back."

* * *

True to their word, they only let themselves slip back into old habits that once during the war. After that, they returned to being the Flame Alchemist and the Hawk's Eyes. They did what was asked of them in the name of serving their country and never looked back. They had both made the choice to be here and they would follow through with it regardless of their personal feelings.

Some days were harder than others. The guilt of everything they had done, all the lives they had taken, would weigh on each of them heavily. On these days, they would often seek each other out between missions and patrols. They'd sit together somewhere in the camp and talk. Sometimes about the war, sometimes about other things. Hughes and Havoc would join them when schedules permitted, but it wasn't often that all four were available at one time.

Riza held her cup in front of her, the circles under her eyes were the darkest they'd been yet. Her hands were shaking, which was very unlike her. As a sharpshooter, she always had steady hands and perfect focus. Right now all she could think about was all the blood. "I just don't understand how any of this could come to pass. Why are we killing the people of our own country? The ones we are supposed to be protecting?" she said aloud to no one in particular.

Havoc sat in their circle, a guilty and gaunt look on his face. He couldn't answer. He had no answer. It was out of their hands and they all knew it. They were following orders, but it didn't stop them from feeling like villains.

Mustang stared blankly at his hands, the same hands that had been used to kill so many. He didn't have an answer for her either.

Nearby, Kimblee scoffed. "Killing is part of being a soldier. You can't possibly tell me you thought you'd be able to keep your hands clean when you joined the military. You're the one who made the choice to be here. You knew what you would be asked to do."

Riza looked over at him, horrified by the truth of his words. Her hands began to shake even more. "But…" she started, but couldn't even form a rebuttal.

Kimblee continued. "You're kidding yourself, Hawkeye. Don't tell me you don't enjoy it. You pull the trigger, your aim is true, and your target falls. Don't you feel a sense of pride in your skills when you do it? Doesn't it feel even the slightest bit satisfying? Acting like it bothers you this much is foolish."

Riza's vision was beginning to blur. She couldn't cry, not now. But she was terrified that Kimblee was able to see through all of them.

Roy could see the effect that Kimblee's words were having on her. He and Havoc both stood, but Roy got there first. He grabbed the other alchemist by the front of his clothes and yanked him from his seat. "That's enough, Kimblee."

Kimblee smirked as he looked at Roy. "There's no sense getting so emotional about any of this. We are simply carrying out orders we have been given. We are their tools." His eyes drift back over to Riza. "If that's what you're going to do, then you should go back home and cry there. The frontlines is obviously no place for a woman like you."

Riza glared at him and said nothing.

Havoc practically growled. "Hey! She's a better man than you are, bastard!"

Mustang couldn't help himself. He decked Kimblee, knocking him to the ground. "Don't ever insult my comrades." He turned to walk away.

Kimblee laughed and jumped up. He slipped his stone into his mouth and smiled malevolently. He braced himself to attack Roy from behind.

Havoc and Riza saw what was happening and moved. They both pulled out their guns and aimed at Kimblee. "Sir, behind you!" yelled Riza.

Roy wheeled around, his hand up and poised to counter an attack. They stood facing each other, each sizing the other up and bracing for an attack.

Hughes came upon the scene just in time. He stood between the two alchemists, arms raised to either side as if willing them to stay apart. "Woah, what is going on here? Do you all want to get court martialed?"

Having his best friend step between them gave Roy pause. He lowered his hand halfway, keeping a careful watch on Kimblee.

Riza doesn't lower her gun even after Havoc does. She doesn't care about anything except keeping Roy safe. Havoc looked at her in shock. "Hawkeye! Come on, you gotta stand down!"

"Not until Kimblee spits out that precious rock of his and leaves." Riza said seriously.

Havoc walked over to stand before Kimblee. "You heard the lady. Cough it up and go away."

Kimblee glared spitefully at the lot of them, but he knew when he was outnumbered. He removed the stone and turned to walk away. "This isn't over, Flame Alchemist."

After Kimblee was out of sight, Hughes wheeled around to face Roy. "What the hell were you thinking?!" he demanded.

"He insulted Hawkeye."

"If you get that bent out of shape every time someone insults one of your friends, you're going to get yourself killed." Hughes lectured. He put a hand on Roy's shoulder and pulled him away from the other two. "I know you're in love with her and all that, but you can't just do something this rash every time you get protective!" He said in a lowered voice.

Riza looked at them curiously, not sure what was going on. She sighed. Kimblee would not be easy to beat if it ever did get serious with him. Hopefully he wouldn't make a move to hurt Roy when she wasn't close by. If he hurt him, ever, and she found out, she would hunt him down and put a bullet between his eyes.

Havoc heaved a big sigh. "Damn. What a pain." He was referring, of course, to Kimblee.

Roy sighed. "I know. I couldn't help it that time, though."

"Well, you'd better learn to control it. If anyone catches on that there's more going on there than just a professional relationship, they'll target her just to get to you. Do you want that?"

Roy stared blankly at Hughes. He hadn't really thought about it from that point of view. "Point taken."

"Good. Besides, she can defend herself. Let her."


	11. 1909

**1909, Ishval**

It was another day on the front. Riza was in her usual position atop a building, but inside the top story so she was well hidden from sight. She sighed. She didn't enjoy killing innocent people, but sitting like this and waiting could get really boring. It would be different if she were ever on duty with a partner.

Roy climbed the stairs of that same building, cradling something in his gloved hands. He deliberately made more noise than usual on his way up the stairs so he wouldn't startle her.

Riza heard the noise and turned swiftly into position so that she could shoot whoever it was if they were a threat. It wasn't time to change shifts, so whoever it was wasn't supposed to be in this tower.

"Why is it that anytime I try to do something nice and surprise you, you always point a gun at me?" Roy asked as he mounted the top of the stairs and looked across the floor at her.

She lowered her gun and gave him a look. "I'm a sniper. What do you expect? What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you this." He held out what appeared to be a small cake with one candle in it. "I'm afraid it's not edible, I was limited on what I had on hand to transmute, but the sentiment is the same. Happy birthday."

She raised an eyebrow and looked confused. "Happy birthday? It's not my-" she then stopped and thought for a moment. Realization struck her. "Oh. I guess it is my birthday. I can't believe you remembered." She looked down at the 'cake'. She smirked. "It's probably more edible than the last birthday cake you made me. " She teased him.

"I thought you liked that cake!" he feigned looking offended, then laughed and lit the single candle with a snap of his fingers. "Here, make a wish."

She smiled and took the little cake from him. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again she blew out the candle. She then placed the cake on the floor and approached him. She glanced around quickly, then leaned up to kiss him. "Thank you, that was sweet." She said before pressing her mouth to his.

His eyes widened slightly, then slowly drifted closed as he returned her kiss.

She pulled back and smirked. "Well, my wish came true so I'd say that today was productive. I should probably get back to work." She eyed the window she had been posted next to all morning. She sighed.

He smiled and followed her over to the window and peered out at the empty landscape. "This is what you do all day? Seems boring."

"It can be. But at the same time, I'm happy when I don't see anyone." She figured he would know what she meant by it. "I've got a radio so we can all talk to each other here and there. But it might be better if someone actually were paired with a partner for watches. Would at least help the day go by faster."

Roy nodded in understanding. Any day when someone didn't have to die by his hands was a good day. "Well, I suppose I've been enough of a distraction to you for one day." He pushed away from the window and started toward the stairs. "Stay safe."

"You, too. Thank you, Roy." she said. She watched his back as he left, wishing that he didn't have to go. But it would never be that way. Not for them.

* * *

After the war, the soldiers returned to Amestris to settle back into everyday life.

Hughes returned to Central, where he was met at the station by his girlfriend Gracia. A few days later, they were betrothed.

While Roy was happy for his friend, he couldn't help but feel a little envious.

He was assigned to East City and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Hawkeye and Havoc were both promoted to Lieutenant and sent to the east as well. They were given a brief leave to allow time to get settled in their new stations and reacclimate themselves with life away from a war zone.

Roy got himself an apartment near the base. It was here that he anxiously paced, waiting for a knock on the door.

He was not sure why he agreed to do it. Heaven knew hurting her was the last thing he ever wanted to do. But she had insisted, had argued her case, and he had given in. He made her agree to wait until their return to Amestris. He couldn't risk it in Ishval where it would be more difficult to seek medical attention if necessary.

As he paced, he checked over the supplies he had set out: bandages, burn salve, a basin of cool water and a cloth, etc.

The knock finally came. She waited anxiously for him to open the door.

It had to be done. He wouldn't kill her. It was just the mark. She wouldn't trust anyone else to do it for her. It was only right that he be the one to destroy the secret that had allowed him to kill so many.

When he opened the door, she smiled. She was only a little afraid.

He didn't smile back. He couldn't bring himself to do it, knowing what was coming. He stepped to the side to let her in.

"I wish you would reconsider." he said, but he knew why it must be done. If this research ever fell into the wrong hands, it would be a massacre. They couldn't risk the creation of another him, one with less of a conscience, like Kimblee. Riza was also at risk so long as she had the secret on her back. If anyone ever made the connection between his alchemy teacher's name and her own, it was possible they may try to kidnap her to get the information.

"Lt. Colonel, we've talked about this." She called him this out of habit. "I know it won't be easy for you. It won't be for me either. But it has to be done." She set her things down on a table. She was wearing a loose shirt and sweats. She prepared comfortable wear for the pain to come.

He frowned. "You don't have to call me that when it's just the two of us." He hated hearing her use his title when addressing him in private. It made him feel like there was a wall growing between them every time.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's habit." She sighed and looked at him. "Roy. There's no use putting it off any longer. I've made up my mind and you're the only one who can do it." She turned her back to him and removed her shirt swiftly. Her back was now revealed to him. She twisted her shirt up to use as a bit between her teeth. She had already also taken a strong painkiller before arriving. This wasn't going to be pleasant at all.

He knew there was no talking her out of this. "You should at least lay down," he suggested gently, indicating the couch. He knew how painful the flames could be and if she shook or collapsed from the pain, it would be that much harder for him to aim and he wanted to do this as quickly as possible to get it over with and to spare her unnecessary suffering.

He moved to retrieve one of his ignition gloves from where he had laid out all the first aid supplies.

"I'll sit. Last thing we need is for you to burn this new couch. It looks expensive." She tried to keep it light. She adjusted herself to sit with her legs Indian-style and her back faced him still. She had the shirt in her mouth. She looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes conveyed that she was ready whenever he was.

He took a deep breath to steady himself and raised a hand. The only good thing that came out of Ishval was the amount of experience he got controlling the flame alchemy. He was able to adjust the size and intensity of the flames. He aimed for the upper left of her back to start, intending to work his way down. He snapped once, then a second time, still working on her left shoulder.

Riza groaned into the shirt. This pain was only the start and it was unfathomable. Tears glittered in her eyes. She contained her screaming. She didn't want to upset Roy. She nodded her head as approval for him to continue. Her fingers clutched the couch's back so hard she was worried she'd dig holes into it.

He snapped again, this time targeting below her left shoulder. He hated himself for doing this.

She cringed and a sob escaped her mouth, although it was muffled by her shirt. Tears started rolling. The pain, dear God the pain. But it would save so many lives. She bit down harder, still crying but not moving.

Snap.

Tears were streaming silently down his face.

Snap.

He had moved on to the middle of her back now.

She tried her hardest but she couldn't think of anything but the pain. She felt only pain. She couldn't see anything but the black behind her squeezed eyelids. The shirt fell out of her mouth and a horrible sob came from her. She scrambled for the shirt but couldn't even open her eyes for trying to bear against the pain. She continued to cry, struggling to move and shuffle her hands around in search of her shirt.

Roy collapsed to his knees behind her. He couldn't do it anymore. He had destroyed enough of the tattoo that the important details were obscured.

"Riza, I . . . I'm sorry. I couldn't keep . . . I'm so sorry."

He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but knew he had no right after causing her suffering. He held his head in his hands, the heels pressing against his closed eyes as he tried desperately to block out the image of her back and the smell of her burning flesh.

She was shaking when she crossed her arms over her chest and turned to face him. She hurt so much she could barely see. But she saw him on the floor in that state. She cried harder and slowly edged off the couch. She thought to comfort him, but realized her smell was likely repulsive. "Roy, it's all right. I'll be fine. You need to . . . stop beating . . . yourself up." She made it to the floor but kept her distance.

He gave a small sob. "How can you . . . how can you be trying to comfort me after that? How can you even look at me after what I just did to you?" He felt like nothing less than a monster. When he heard her shift off the couch, he looked up, startled. "Please don't strain yourself by moving too much. You'll only make the wounds worse." He pushed himself to his feet and moved to collect the basin of water and the cloth.

She still shook. "Roy, you're not a monster for this. You have saved so many lives. Lives of people . . . you may never meet. I'm not even a little angry with you. I . . . was the one who asked you to. Please forgive me." Her voice was breathless. At least she had taken that pain killer. Maybe it would've been worse, though it was hard to imagine.

He returned with the supplies and sat next to her, carefully keeping his eyes averted from her chest. "I'll need to clean those wounds before I can bandage them. The sooner, the better." He dipped the cloth into the basin allowing it to soak up some of the cool water. "If you think you can lay on the couch on your stomach, that would probably be best."

She nodded and turned to pull herself back up onto the couch slowly. She laid flat on her stomach. Her face was twisted with pain and her body was shaking uncontrollably. "Alright, I'm ready."

He couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain, but he tried to stay strong. For her. He knelt next to the couch with the basin on the floor next to him as he gently pressed the cloth against the burns.

"I couldn't get them all. I just couldn't do it. But it's enough. The most important parts are gone." he told her as he looked over the marks.

She grabbed her shirt and bit down. She looked at Roy. "I love you. It's okay. Thank you for doing it." She knew her back would always be ugly now. A small price to pay for the sake of saving lives.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple before continuing to clean the wounds. When he was finished with that, he applied the salve. Then the bandages. Here, he reached a bit of a dilemma. The best way to ensure they stay held in place well was to wrap them around her torso. But he couldn't very well wrap them that way when she was still lying on her stomach and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by having his hands that close to her bare chest when he wrapped them around. He hesitated, trying to decide the best course of action.

She wondered what was taking so long and when she glanced up to see, she nodded. "Just do it." She slowly sat up and crossed her arm over her exposed breasts.

He did as she asked, sitting behind her and passing the bandages across her front from one hand to the other until he finished the roll and tied it off. He was careful not to do it too tightly, just snug enough that it wouldn't come loose.

"I think you should stay here at least for tonight," he said as he gathered up the unused first aid supplies. "That way you have someone here if you need anything. You can have my bed. I'll sleep out here."

She was quiet for a moment. "Stay . . . with me." She said weakly.

He felt a tug at his heart at the words. How could he possibly say no to a request like that? He couldn't understand why she still wanted him around after what he'd done to her.

"Ok." He agreed. "But if I move too much in my sleep or anything, you have to promise to wake me up and I'll move to the floor. Can't have anything disturbing your rest during the healing process."

He stood and stretched, then picked up her discarded shirt and gave it to her. "Do you need any help moving to the bed?"

She took the shirt from him and held it over her chest. "If you could help me stand, then I should probably make it on my own just fine after that." She managed to stop crying. She still shook a decent bit, which was why she didn't trust her legs to help her stand.

He nodded. "Anything I can do to help, I'm happy to do it." He sat next to her and moved one of her arms around his shoulder and put one of his arms around her waist, below where the bandages stopped and helped her stand. He would just carry her if it weren't for the fact that there was no way to keep from touching the burns to do so.

She shut her eyes a moment, blocking out the pain briefly. She opened them again and exhaled a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She started slowly making her way toward his bedroom, holding his hand for support. "Thank you."

He didn't trust himself to speak, so he just nodded as he walked slowly alongside her down the hall to his bedroom. He hated seeing her in pain and hated himself even more for being the cause of it.

She looked up at him. "Stop it. I know what you're thinking. Stop it." Even though she hurt she still looked like she could pull out a gun and threaten him with it at any moment. Her look was fierce, despite her puffy eyes. "I'll not have you feel guilty for something I asked you to do. It doesn't change the way I feel about you. You wallowing over there isn't helping either one of us. I understand that it must have affected you deeply, but you need to push the logic of the situation to the front of your mind so you can stop giving me those sad puppy eyes. I'll get a dog if I wanna see those."

He couldn't hold back the smile that came. It was just like her to be lecturing him even in her current state. "I'm sorry," he said, this time for the way he had been acting. He knew he wasn't helping. She needed him to stay strong during her recovery, so he promised himself to do so. "I know it had to be done, but I hate it! And right now, I hate him for doing that to you." He was referring to her father for using her body as a means for hiding his research.

She looked at him fondly. "I know. A part of me does, too. But it made sense and I wanted to help him. I think he'd be glad that we destroyed it after seeing the damage it can do in the wrong hands." They made it to the bedroom and she let go of his hand so she could slowly put her shirt back on. The bandages would serve as a barrier between her wounds and the fabric. But she didn't look forward to the removal of those bandages. Not one bit. She went to sit on his bed. "I imagine I'd feel much like you do right now if I were in your position, Roy. And I appreciate that you care. But I don't want you to get caught up in a downward spiral of guilt. It would've been all my fault and I couldn't live with that."

When she sat down on the bed, he crouched in front of her and took her hands in his. "Don't you start worrying about me now. I'll be alright. I'm more concerned about making sure those burns get taken care of so you can heal as quickly as possible."

She looked at him, then down at their hands. She sighed. "Yes. You're right." Her shaking was a little more under control now. She brought their hands up so that her lips caressed his fingers.

He watched her with a tender expression, then slowly rose to his feet. "I'll be right back." He retrieved a pair of sweatpants from his dresser, the only furniture in the room besides the bed, and moved to another room to change. When he returned, he carried with him a glass of water for her.

"Drink this before you go to bed. You need to stay hydrated." He handed it to her and sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

She nodded and took the water from him and guzzled it down quickly. She sighed after it was done. "Happy?" She smirked weakly.

"I'll be happier when you've fully recovered, but, for now, it'll do. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

She shook her head. "No. Just don't leave me." She slowly lowered herself flat on the mattress. She cringed before finally relaxing her head on the pillow.

"I won't," he promised. He pulled the blanket over her and climbed in next to her, keeping a safe distance to avoid accidentally touching her back during the night and causing her more pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the story so far, so please consider leaving a review. Thank you!- J&C


	12. Summer 1909

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story rating has been changed to M for good reason as this chapter contains a lemon. If that's not your cup of tea, you may want to skip to the end of the chapter just to get what you need to know for the storyline to continue.

A few days later, they met again, this time in Riza's apartment, only a few blocks away from his. It was time to remove the bandages for good. She felt better, much better. She had been resting as instructed and having him apply the healing salve in between bandage changes. She paced around, tidying up her place. She didn't understand why she was so nervous. Perhaps the sexual tension that had been building up was finally wracking her nerves. Or maybe she was worried it wasn't good enough and they would have to burn more off?

Roy was nervous as well as he approached the door to her apartment. He dreaded seeing the damage he had caused to her back, but what he dreaded more was the possibility that she may ask him to try to burn the rest of it off as she had originally requested now that the first set had healed.

He took a deep breath to steady his breathing, then knocked.

She rushed to open it. Her cheeks were pink from nervousness. She fanned her face. "Hey. Come in." She said, opening the door to let him in. "Can I get you a drink?"

"No, thank you." he replied as he removed his uniform jacket and draped it over a nearby chair. He had just come from the military base where he had been meeting some of the other local officers and he didn't like wearing the uniform jacket in her presence. "How does your back feel?"

She smiled and got herself a cold glass of water. "It's much better. I barely feel anything. I'm sure I won't need bandages anymore. It can get some air." She took a sip and leaned against her kitchen counter. "Thanks for taking such good care of it for me."

He was relieved to hear she barely felt them anymore and he smiled. "What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't take care of you?" He glanced around her apartment; this was the first time he had come to hers. "Where would you like to take them off at?"

"In here is fine. It's a small apartment and the bathroom is hardly big enough for us both." She chuckled. She pulled her trash can over by her bed and sat down. She put her water on the nightstand. "You can take them off right here. And I want you to tell me honestly if it's enough that no one could decipher it."

"I will," he promised, but he hated to consider the possibility that it wasn't enough. He sat behind her and waited for her to remove her shirt.

She sighed and did so to reveal her bare back covered with the bandages. The redness that peeked out of the white edges had faded. "Whenever you're ready." She tore a strip in her front and pulled it around so he could take it.

He took the end and unraveled it, passing it from one hand to the other around her. He felt the tension seeping out of his body with every inch of her back that was revealed. It was better than he dared to hope for. The wounds were a faded pink, barely darker than her skin tone and there was more than enough of the design obscured. He finished and tossed the bandages into the trashcan she had brought over before reaching out and gently touching one of the smaller scars. "How do they feel?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling. "I barely feel them. That didn't hurt much at all."

He smiled back at her, obviously relieved. Unable to stop himself, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against one of the scars on her shoulder.

She gasped. She hadn't been expecting that. A wave of pleasure crashed through her. She realized that she was still completely exposed up top and her cheeks were burning. A hand moved to rest on his leg.

He misinterpreted her gasp and thought he had hurt her. He pulled back immediately. "I'm sorry. I should go." He stood.

She turned her head toward him. "No! Roy . . ." She was embarrassed but obviously if she didn't spell it out for him, he wouldn't get it. "Your touch . . . it does things to me. They aren't bad things. But they're new. I feel . . . very aware of my feelings for you and how I'm so exposed at this moment. And your lips on my back felt amazing." She was blushing like mad and she hid her face after that. Her hands were holding her crumpled shirt in front of her chest.

His cheeks were a bit red as well, but he couldn't deny he felt the same. He'd had a hard time keeping his hands off her every time they'd been in the same room recently, but he knew as well as she that a real relationship between them was impossible at this point and he didn't want to take advantage of her.

He crouched down in front of her and put a hand under her chin to get her to stop hiding her face and look at him.

There was lust in her eyes, though she tried her hardest to not let it show. She looked back at him. His eyes were so warm and comforting. His voice was like a blanket on a cold night. And even his fingers on her face seemed to set her soul aflame. This heat was passion. She could no longer deny it. But she didn't want to make him feel like he had to do anything he didn't feel comfortable doing. "Roy." She whispered, leaning her face up a bit, her mouth hanging open expectantly.

Whatever he was about to say died in his throat as he looked into her eyes. He tried to remember all the reasons they shouldn't be doing this, but none came to mind. To hell with it. He leaned in and kissed her.

She returned his kiss with a fervor that she didn't realize she had. Her lips moved against his for a time. She was so caught up and dazed by the sensations she forgot to hold her shirt and put her hands in his hair, holding him to her and deepening the kiss. She was tired of holding back. It was time to let her instincts take over. It may be wrong to the military, but it would always be right for them.

Roy Mustang had never been particularly good about expressing his feelings through words, so he did his best to show her instead, putting everything he had into the kiss. He wrapped one arm about her waist and pulled her against him. He could feel the heat of her body through his shirt. One hand ran gently over her bare back, feeling the scars there.

Riza moaned slightly against his mouth. Her back arched of its own will. Her breasts were crushed against his chest. She felt goosebumps spreading over her arms and shoulders. The pure ecstasy of this moment was almost too much. Her hands slid down to his neck, then his shoulders, then wrapped around his torso to make their way under his shirt. She could feel the muscles in his strong back.

He pulled away from her mouth and trailed kisses down her neck. "You're so beautiful," he whispered against her skin. One hand slowly moved up her side, feeling the smooth skin of her waist, until it came to a stop at her chest, cupping her breast.

She gasped. "Mm, Roy..." She whimpered. The feeling of his hand there was like lightning. So sharp and intense she felt it all over her body. She turned her head to nibble on his ear, her fingers massaging his back.

He leaned forward slowly, one arm still around her waist, lowering her onto the bed. He kissed her again, deeply, as his hand gently massaged her breast. After a moment, he pulled back, his forehead resting against hers as he looked into her eyes. "Are you sure about this?" He needed to know now, before this went on any further.

She was quite breathless. It was hard to think straight with his hands upon her as they were. She locked her eyes with his. She kissed him and broke it after a few seconds. "I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life. I love you." She said in a husky whisper.

"And I love you." He continued to look into her eyes for a moment, searching for any sign that she was not as sure as she said she was. When he didn't find one, he crushed his lips to hers once more. After a moment, he broke it to pull his shirt off over his head and toss it aside. He covered her in kisses from neck to navel and his pants began to feel uncomfortably tight.

Riza arched her back so her entire body was melding with his. His skin felt so good against hers. She ran her hands wildly through his hair, moaning all the while, louder with every kiss. Her hips bucked when he kissed around her lower belly and she could feel his hardness through his pants. He would be an impressive specimen indeed.

He leaned back up and kissed her again, his forearm braced against the bed next to her head so he didn't put his full weight on her. His other hand caressed her side, feeling her curves, before moving down over her hip and to her thigh.

She returned his kiss as her hands slid down over his bare chest and stomach, feeling the curve of every toned muscle all the way down to his belt. She teased him, slipping a couple fingers into his pants and gliding along the edge. She moaned.

His hips jerked slightly when she teased him and he grunted in response. Two could play that game. His hand moved to her inner thigh, moving up, but stopping before her got to her center.

She smirked and gave him a devious look as she moved her hand down over his erection, squeezing gently and lightly stroking it. She could feel the throbbing need building more between her legs. It was almost painful.

His hips jerked again. "Riza..." His voice was husky and strained. He moved his hands to her hips, hooking his thumbs into the waist of her pants and began to slowly pull them down, fingertips brushing gently over her thighs.

She moaned again. "Mm, Roy..." She pushed her hips up so he could remove them easier and leaned up to nibble his earlobe.

The sound of his name on her lips turned him on even more. After he got her pants completely off, his hand wandered back up her legs. He caressed her through her underwear as his mouth moved down her neck.

She could feel how wet she was. Her panties must be soaking. She moaned louder when he touched her there. "Oh, it feels so good...so good, Roy." She said breathlessly. She undid his buckle with one hand and slipped it into his pants to make even closer contact with his member. "I want you inside me...with this...God, I want you so bad." She moaned.

He gasped and pressed into her touch. "Fuck, Riza. I'm not going to be able to control myself if you keep saying things like that." He said it in a teasing tone, but he was half serious. He began to work on removing his own pants.

She helped him, passion taking over her senses. She began to shove her panties down her thighs as he removed his pants. Her eyes became fixed on the obvious bulge in his underwear. She looked very pleased, and felt even hotter than before.

Roy couldn't get out of his pants fast enough. He kicked them off to the side and his boxers soon followed. One hand moved to the back of her head as his lips found hers once more. The other hand moved between her legs, testing to make sure she was ready for him. Satisfied, he withdrew his hand and aligned himself with her before slowly pushing into her. He paused to allow her time to get used to the feeling but it took every bit of self-control he had.

She cried out a bit at the slight pain. He was so large. "Oh, Roy, you feel so wonderful." She whispered in his ear. She adjusted after a moment and began moving her body against his, willing him to start a rhythm.

He complied, beginning a deliberately slow rhythm. He knew that it was likely that this was the only chance they would have to be together like this and he wanted to savor every moment with her.

She lifted her legs so they wrapped around his hips and rested there, her ankles hooked. She looked deep into his eyes. Hers were glazed with lust and pleasure. Her mouth hung open lazily. Her breathing was hard and fast; her heart beat the same. Her back arched, pushing her torso even more against his. How she loved this man. She had for so long. If only she'd been brave enough to say it before everything changed.

* * *

Afterwards, they lay in her bed, blankets pulled up to their waists. He had her pulled across his chest, kissing her as one of his hands ran lazily up and down her back. He slowly broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. "I love you so much."

She smiled. "Same here." She drew lazily on his chest with her finger. "When did you know you did?" She asked.

He considered that for a moment. "It wasn't until after I left for the academy and I realized how much I missed you that I knew for sure. But it started sometime before that."

She smirked. "No pretty ladies kept you company?"

"Would you be jealous if they did?" he teased. "But, no, never. Hughes did try to take me on a double date with Gracia's friend once. Didn't work out, obviously. To be honest, I think he was trying to make a point. He knew I was in love with you even before I did." He smiled. "And you? When did you know?"

She smiled. Hughes did seem nice. Just a little eccentric and gushy. Not her type but he was a good person. "I think I knew after you stood up for me against those kids. Or sometime around then. You were my best friend." She nuzzled his neck.

Roy couldn't help but laugh a little when she mentioned that day at the lake. "I still can't believe they fell for that."

He was surprised to learn how long she had known, however. He was not quite sure how he was stupid enough not to realize it. If only he had, he would have told her how he felt sooner and then maybe they would have had a shot at a happy ending. Hell, he should have just told her when he realized he loved her even if he wasn't sure how she felt.

It was too late to feel sorry for himself now, though. He just wanted to make the most of his time with her before the world ripped them apart again.

"This was my first time." he admitted, and it was true. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to tell her this, but he did. Sure, he'd casually dated a couple of girls in Central during his teen years before the apprenticeship, but never anything serious. Aunt Chris had put the fear of God into him about what she would do to him if he ever got a girl pregnant and after the apprenticeship, he had known Riza was the only woman for him.

She looked at the side of his face and grinned. "This was my first time, too. I didn't really have any opportunity to see anyone else. Sure, a couple guys in the military would flirt lightly with me, but then I'd find an excuse to shoot something and they seemed to be less interested after that." She chuckled. "I was pretty sure I was meant for someone else at the time."

Roy was the only one who'd ever fought for her. And now she was here, fighting for him. Watching over him, the "Hawk's Eyes", would always be on guard.

"As long as that someone else was me," he teased. He leaned his head down to brush her lips with his briefly. "So, now what?" he asked as he pulled back. He knew they couldn't be in a real relationship, but he didn't want to be without her either.

She sighed. "Well. We can only do so much. What do you think we should do?" She looked away. "Do you think we shouldn't keep seeing each other?"

He felt his heart plummet at the thought, but he knew it would probably be for the best. "Riza, I want to be with you. There is nothing I want more, but if we were ever caught, we'd both be at risk and I couldn't in good conscience ask you to put yourself in that position for me."

She did her best to keep a straight face. She thought he may lean in that direction. Not that he didn't care, but that he cared too much about their lives and careers to put it all at risk. "So this was just a one-time thing," she said solemnly. She snuggled closer. If it was indeed their first and last night alone together, she would be as close to him as she could be for as long as possible. "It's probably for the best. You're right. But, Roy..." She reached down and clasped his hand. "I still want to be by your side. I want to fight with you in any war. I want to protect you."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad to hear it. I've already put in the paperwork requesting to have you and Havoc assigned to my unit."

She nodded. "Good. Lord knows with your rash personality you'll need all the able assistants you can get." She teased him.

He laughed because he knew it was true. "Is that anyway to talk to a superior officer?"

"It is when he's naked and in MY bed." She said.

"That's fair." He couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously, though, I don't know what I'd do without you. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you and I know I don't say it often enough, but thank you."

"Not like I had anything better to do." She stuck her tongue out. "Plus it gave me an excuse to spend time with you."

He smiled and brought a hand up to push her bangs back out of her face as he looked at her. "Think about it, though, there were a few times in Ishval you saved me and countless times I was able to use flame alchemy to protect myself and others during the war and that's all thanks to you as well. Without you, I literally wouldn't be here."

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers once more and she kissed him back. If they were only going to have one night together, they would make the most of it.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the first time either of us have ever included a lemon in one of our fics, so hopefully it wasn't terrible.
> 
> Just for the record, we're currently in 1909 and this story will end in 1915 with the aftermath of the Promised Day. That means lots of time for this relationship to play out as you'll see in the coming chapters.
> 
> Next chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading! -J&C


	13. Fall 1909

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We've got a lot to say this time around, but it's all important, so please bear with us.
> 
> First off, a few trigger warnings for this chapter. This chapter involves kidnapping, a hostage situation, a lot of physical abuse, and PTSD.
> 
> Second, we just want to talk about where this chapter fits in our chronology, so here's a brief recap of the story thus far now that we're about halfway through our timeline.
> 
> 1902-1903: Roy studies with Riza's father
> 
> 1903-1905: Roy attends the academy
> 
> 1906: Roy becomes a state alchemist and leaves for Ishval
> 
> 1907: Riza sells the house and goes to the military academy, Roy comes to visit her during his leave and she's gone.
> 
> 1908: Roy and Riza reunite in Ishval
> 
> 1909: The war ends, Roy burns her back at her request, and the two agree not to pursue a romantic relationship and put their careers in jeopardy.
> 
> That brings us to where we are now, during their first few months of life in the military away from the battlefield. To put this timeline in perspective, Ed won't become a state alchemist until 1911 and the main events of the series occur in 1914 and 1915. Roy and Riza are 24 and 23 respectively in this chapter. They are 30 and 29 in the series. This story is all about how they came to be the way they are in the series, so keep that in mind with our characterizations.
> 
> More on that in the Author's Note at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

They kept to their word. Months passed and they never strayed from their decision of having nothing more than a professional relationship. Roy wasn't sure how she felt about the matter. She always seemed indifferent to him in the office and he tried to do the same, but it was slowly killing him.

When he arrived at the office at 7:45 every morning, she would already be there with coffee brewing. They'd exchange casual pleasantries as he made his way past her desk and into his office. One by one, the other members of the Mustang unit would trickle in all the way up until Havoc arrived at 8:03 every morning. The man never could be on time.

The new members of the team were soldiers by the name of Kain Fuery, Heymans Breda, and Vato Falman. None of them had been to Ishval and Mustang always felt closer to Lieutenants Hawkeye and Havoc because of the bond they shared there. They'd all seen and performed unspeakable acts there and that was something the new members would never be able to relate to, though they had so far proven themselves to be more than capable soldiers.

Throughout the days that passed, they would all go about their assigned tasks at the desks they shared in the middle of the office's front room. Roy was kept apart from them in an office of his own. Through the door, he could see the rest of them working at their desks day in and day out, but he had the best view of Riza's desk. He did his best to ignore it and to act as if he wasn't aware of where she was in the room at any point during the day, what she was doing, who she was talking to, when she smiled… It was slowly driving him crazy to be so close to her and still feel so far away.

At 5pm, they'd all pack up and head home, each going their separate ways. He'd sometimes hear the other men making plans to meet later at some bar or other, but they never included him in these plans. He couldn't blame them. He was, after all, their superior officer and had kept himself distant these first few months. So he would go home alone every night, have supper by himself, and, if he was lucky, he'd sleep through the night with no nightmares about Ishval and the atrocities he'd committed. Most nights he wasn't lucky.

Then he would wake up in the morning and do it all over again. Though the work of the day would sometimes change when a mission came their way, the routine itself never varied.

That was why when he arrived at the office at 7:45 one Wednesday morning, he was stunned to find the lights still off, the room empty, and no smell of brewing coffee. Something was very, very wrong.

She would have called if she were sick and she was never late, he mused as he made his way to his own desk. He watched over the next fifteen minutes as each of his subordinates trickled into the room one by one. He became more anxious and agitated with every arrival that was not hers until, finally, Havoc arrived last. He saw the confusion on the other men's faces as well as they noted her absence. She worked harder than all of them and was always here first in the morning and last in the evening.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He stood and strode toward the door. "Havoc. With me."

"Sir!" Havoc jumped up and followed him out of the office, leaving the other men muttering to each other at their desks about what had happened to Lieutenant Hawkeye.

* * *

Riza opened her eyes. A sharp pain shot through her head that made her cringe, but she braced herself against it and kept her eyes open. There was a room with a thin mattress on the floor, and one lamp to light it. She was on the floor across from both. There weren't any windows, but there was one door to her right. She imagined it was locked, but she made herself move to try opening it anyway. This was difficult due to her wrists and ankles being bound together by twine.

"Damn. Where am I?" she hissed angrily.

Under normal circumstances, she would have a knife hidden in her shoe and she would have been able to free herself easily. But she was currently in her pajamas. That's right, her kidnapper had abducted her from her very own home in the middle of the night. The memories came rushing back to her. She allowed them so that she could analyze and try to understand what was happening and why.

* * *

_It was late. She had been just about ready to go to sleep when she heard a soft knocking at her door. Her recently acquired puppy, Black Hayate, had of course, jumped right up to let out a few barks of warning. She had slipped her bedside gun into the elastic waist of her pants after slipping off her bed. Black Hayate followed behind her, ready to do whatever she ordered him to. Riza reached her door and peered through the glass in the hole at eye level to find an officer, with a rank above her own, standing there. He looked serious and professional. Worried that something had happened that couldn't be said over the phone, Riza opened her door._

_She noted his pocket watch, a symbol of his status as a state alchemist. Now she was worried this had to do with Roy. She saluted. "Sir, is everything alright?"_

_The man nodded. "At ease, Lieutenant. I'm Colonel Herring. I do hate to bother you so late this evening, but I have a matter of utmost importance to discuss with you."_

_She relaxed her arm to her side. She frowned slightly, a little concern showing on her face. "Sir, does this have anything to do with Colonel Mustang?"_

_He smiled gently and shook his head. "No, as a matter of fact, it has to do with you. Would you mind terribly if I came inside to sit and speak with you?"_

_Something about the man had seemed off to Riza. He looked tired, and there was a look in his eyes that seemed to gaze right through her. She felt a little uneasy letting him in. Not to mention, Black Hayate had been growling at him since she opened the door. She turned her head to her dog. She would be on her guard but she couldn't very well have her pet attacking a superior officer. "Hayate, go to bed. I'll be there soon." she ordered._

_Black Hayate stopped growling and looked at her. Then, he slowly turned and made his way to their bedroom. Riza looked back at the man. "Certainly, sir. Do come in. I apologize for my dog."_

_He smiled and made his way into the apartment to sit on her couch. "Not at all, he seems like a very loyal animal."_

_Riza went to shut her bedroom door so Hayate wouldn't come back out. Hopefully this wouldn't take long. She came to sit in her chair across from him. "He is, sir. Now, what is it you wish to speak to me about?"_

_Herring stared at his hands for a moment as if he were contemplating something. Then he looked up at her, a new look in his eyes. It was almost like desire. "I have much experience in researching rare fields of alchemy. As you can see, I am a state alchemist. I excel at basic transmutations, but I have always wondered about the more elemental and powerful forms of alchemy. Much like the form your Colonel Mustang uses."_

_Riza felt her body tense up. He wanted to know about Flame Alchemy? Why come to her when Roy was the one who used the formula? Not that Roy would ever tell him a thing._

" _I see. I'm sorry, sir, but I don't understand what any of this has to do with me, specifically." Riza said, feeling anxious._

" _You see, I've recently discovered where exactly it is that you came from, Lieutenant Hawkeye. Your father was Berthold Hawkeye. He was an incredible alchemist. The military pined for him for many years. And I know that Roy Mustang was his student for a time before his attendance to the academy. Remarkable that he didn't use his flame alchemy until the war, after graduating and taking his exam."_

_Riza was doing her best not to show that his words had any effect on her. She started sweating. This man wanted to know how to use Flame Alchemy. "Sir, if you wish to understand Flame Alchemy, why not ask the Colonel himself? I'm afraid my father didn't teach me anything because I have never had any interest in alchemy myself." She feigned confusion._

_He gave her a cunning, knowing smile. "Colonel Mustang seems to think he can keep this secret all to himself. The man is quite power hungry. So now I turn to you in my hour of need before my approaching exam."_

_Riza stared at him. "I'm sorry, Colonel. But I'm afraid I can't help you." She stood up and made for her apartment door so she could show him out. "I'm sorry you wasted your time."_

" _Oh, but I'm not done yet." Said Herring, standing as well and moving to follow her._

_Riza turned and had a thought to grab her gun hidden under her shirt, but didn't have time to do it, for the floor had melted and sucked her in so that her hands were bound. She glared at him. "I've already told you that I don't know anything! You won't get away with this!" she yelled._

" _I'm afraid, Lieutenant, that my interrogation hasn't even begun." He walked over and knocked her in the back of her head. The last thing she heard was Black Hayate barking urgently in her bedroom, then her world went black._

* * *

Now she sat here, angry with herself for getting caught. By now it was likely morning and Roy would notice she wasn't at the office. She leaned against the wall behind her and closed her eyes. She could see his face. These months since their agreement had been the most difficult for her. Being so close to him every day was an incredible challenge for her self control. She still loved him. But she carried on as indifferently as she could around him.

He'd been looking like he hadn't slept well for a long time. She had wanted to comfort him, for she had an idea as to why. The nightmares and visions kept her up some nights, too. If not for Black Hayate, she likely would never get any sleep. But Roy was all alone each night. Her heart felt as though it would collapse with guilt.

She sighed. She could very well die here. She didn't know this man or what he was capable of. A part of her secretly hoped he would kill her, if only to release her from her painful memories. She shook her head to snap herself back to reality. She couldn't give up. Roy needed her. Maybe they couldn't be together in the way they wanted, but they needed each other to keep themselves grounded and steady. She had to say alive so that she could ensure that Roy stayed alive as well. She didn't work this hard for so long just to let him go so easily. She proceeded to biting her bonds, grinding her teeth into the material, her resolve fueling her drive.

* * *

When Havoc and Mustang arrived at her apartment, they found the door ajar. They could hear Black Hayate whining and scratching somewhere within.

Roy signaled to Havoc and they took their places with backs to the wall on either side of the door. At a nod from his superior, Havoc pushed the door open with his foot and entered with his gun drawn. He was shortly followed by the Colonel.

The apartment was in disarray. Papers littered the floor, drawers were flung open, and there were signs of an alchemic transmutation in the living room, but the place seemed devoid of any human presence.

Havoc lowered his gun and continued down the hallway to open the bedroom door to let Black Hayate out as Roy bent to pick something up from the floor of the living room. It was a picture frame with shattered glass laying all around it. He lifted it from the floor and brushed the glass away. He found himself looking at the photo from their first Christmas Eve together, the same photo he had framed in his own apartment. He gazed at her smiling face a moment longer, then hurriedly put it face down on the desk when he heard footsteps coming back down the hallway.

Hayate bounded up to Roy, barking insistently at his heels.

"No sign of her, Colonel. What do you think happened?"

Roy had his thoughts, each worse than the last. Had she been taken to get back at him somehow? He knew he had his share of enemies, but would any of them know what she meant to him?

"I don't know," he sighed. "But I bet you this little guy does." He knelt down to Hayate. The dog ceased barking at once and sat back on his haunches as if awaiting orders. "What do you think, boy? Can you find her?"

Hayate barked once then leapt up and took off like a shot out the door and down the steps of the apartment building with Roy and Havoc following closely behind.

* * *

Riza had made a slight dent in her bonds when she heard the doorknob click and start to turn. She put her hands back down in her lap and waited with a fierce look in her eyes.

Colonel Herring made his way into the room, carrying a briefcase. He didn't look at her for a moment as he put the briefcase down on the poor excuse for a mattress. He then turned to look at her. "My, that's quite a face you're wearing."

She continued to glare at him. "I don't know what else you were expecting. You have to let me go."

"Oh, but I can't do that. At least, not until you tell me the secret I need."

"I told you I don't know anything! This is pointless!" she shouted.

"I think you know more than you're letting on, my dear. And I intend to make you talk. Whatever it takes." He leaned down to open the case and pulled out several tools of sorts.

Riza kept glaring. "Do your worst. You'll regret it. Especially once the authorities find you."

The man just smiled and approached her, holding a knife. "No one will ever find us. And when I'm done with you, you're going to go far, far away. Maybe into hell itself as repentance for what you did in Ishval."

Riza bit back a retort. "If you weren't there, you don't know anything. You're a fool for thinking that no one would come for me. I have friends. I serve under Colonel Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. What do you think he'll do when he notices I'm gone?"

He grinned. "I'm counting on him noticing. You see, I think you know my old friend Kimblee. I had been counting on him to teach me his alchemy in time for my recertification exam, but things didn't quite work out. Before he went and got himself arrested, he told me quite a bit about 'Mustang and his little bitch.' It seems you mean quite a bit to the Colonel. It's all part of my plan. If I can't make you talk, perhaps I can persuade him to."

Riza's eyes widened with realization. And then, his torture began.

* * *

She wasn't sure how much time had passed. Hours? Days? She didn't know. How much blood had she lost? She was covered in it. Small pieces of her hair were strewn across the floor. Her clothes were in tatters. Occasionally she had let out a cry of pain. Having a blade dig into your bare skin wasn't exactly easy to ignore. Nor were the blows to her entire body. She held her arms in front of her, trying to protect herself and failing miserably.

Herring landed a punch that sent her flying a few feet across the floor. She groaned. She had given up on reasoning with him long before now. He refused to believe her. Her back was to him now as she awaited the next strike.

"Oh my. What's this?" he asked. She felt his fingers part her shirt in the back, tearing it down so it was completely open. "This looks like an alchemic formula. You little lying snake."

Riza cringed. "I didn't lie. I don't even know what it looks like!" She managed to yell. He grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked her head back.

"I'll have no more of your lies. Now tell me, what is the meaning of this? What are these burn marks?"

Riza leaned over her shoulder as much as she could with her hair still in his hand. She smirked at him. "They're so a crazy psychopath like you can never use flame alchemy to kill people."

Herring stared at her for a few more minutes that felt like forever to Riza. Then, he violently jerked her head back and slung her again, roaring with fury. She grunted in pain and listened to him scream profanities at her. She put her wrists up to her mouth and began to chew furiously.

"I'll just kill you now, then! Can't have you running off to tell your little Colonel who did this to you." He cackled maniacally.

Something snapped in Riza when she heard him pick up a gun. It was probably her gun from before. She had to get to it and use it before he did. She would not leave Roy, not like this. Not without a fight. She bit down, hard, catching her lip in the process. Blood trickled down from her mouth. But, finally, her bonds were severed. She was free. She swiftly pushed off the ones around her ankles and sprang up. Her body protested, but she made it keep going. With a battle cry, she yelled and charged right for him as he took aim with the gun.

The shot rang out. Her arm was hit. She stopped for but a moment, screamed out again, and threw herself into him. When she had him on the floor, she began to wail on his face with her good hand and arm. When he struggled and seemed like he would overtake her, she whirled around and reached for her gun. She brought it back and put it to his forehead. He had managed to swipe up a knife and started to slash her side. She cried out and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Roy and Havoc trailed Black Hayate through East City. Their canine guide would stop occasionally, looking around in all directions and Roy worried each time that he had lost the scent, but the dog would always pick it up again after a moment and take off at a run.

He led them down back roads and finally came to a halt in front of a house, barking insistently at the door.

Havoc and Mustang exchanged a glance then. This had to be it. Roy called out to Hayate and the dog obediently came to his heel, hackles raised as he stared at the door. No sounds came from within as the two soldiers slowly approached, staying out of sight of the windows. Roy stayed at the front of the building with Hayate and signaled for the Second Lieutenant to go around the back to cover that entrance.

Once the other man was in position, Mustang used his shoulder to force open the door and went inside. The house was dark save for the light trickling in through a few windows and there was no furniture. Through a cracked door at the end of the hallway, he could make out a pair of standard issue military boots lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

His heart jumped into his throat. It couldn't be her, he told himself. The shoes were far too big to be her. Regardless, something terrible had happened here. He caught sight of Havoc peering in through a window in the kitchen and signaled for him to join him and provide cover.

The two men silently approached the cracked door, Hayate remaining equally silent at their heels as if he could sense the severity of the situation.

As they had done earlier that morning at Riza's apartment, they took their places on either side of the door. Havoc used his foot to nudge it open and they both entered the room braced for anything that might be waiting for them.

What they found was the lifeless body of Colonel Herring, a state alchemist Roy recognized from a prior encounter with the man, and Riza slumped in a corner on the opposite side of the room. She hadn't moved since they entered the room and her clothes were stained red.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, are you alright?" Roy asked, a sense of urgency in his voice. He wanted to go to her, but his feet were rooted to the spot. What if they were too late? He'd seen his fair share of dead comrades in Ishval, but this was one he couldn't handle.

Hayate bounded across the room and jumped up to lick her face, overjoyed to have found her again and oblivious to the shock on both of the men's faces at the scene.

Riza had been in a daze for what felt like hours. Another life had been added to the list. Of course, it wasn't as if this man didn't deserve punishment, but maybe she didn't have to kill him. But he was going to kill her. If she was ever going to see Roy again, she would have to do whatever was necessary. He was the most important thing in the world to her.

When Hayate started nuzzling and licking her face and arm, she slowly came back to her body and made her way out of her mind. Pain, the awareness of it, flooded her senses. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Her arm was on fire from her gunshot wound, and she felt like the rest of her body had been run over by a tank ten times over. She felt faint, probably from blood loss. She slowly lifted her head to look at her dog. "Black...Haya..te?" she whispered weakly, her voice hoarse and dying out from all of her screaming before.

Havoc's shoulders slumped with relief. "She's alive, Colonel!" He said, a small smile on his face. He rushed over to her side. "Geez, Hawkeye. I'm surprised you're even awake after bleeding like this. You never stop being a badass, do you?" he joked, trying to see if she could understand him or crack a smile.

Riza looked over at him, then her eyes found Roy standing a little ways behind him. "You...found me? But how?"

Havoc frowned. Her voice sounded like it could give out any second. "Your faithful hound guided us." He smirked down at Black Hayate. He looked back at her. "We need to get you out of here." He moved to put his gun away before working his arms under hers to help her stand. When he did so, his eyes caught a glimpse of the burn marks and tattoo on her back, still left exposed by her torn shirt. He narrowed his eyes. "Hawkeye, what happened to your back?" He felt angry when he thought about how the marks could have possibly appeared. "What the hell is this?!" he demanded.

Roy felt relief wash over him when he heard her voice. She was going to be okay. He wasn't sure the same could be said for Herring. He knelt down to check for a pulse as Havoc saw to Riza. Nothing. The man was definitely dead. He stood just as Havoc saw the marks on her back. The angry tone of the other man's voice made Roy look up from Herring's body, but he looked away again quickly when he realized what Havoc was talking about, not sure what to tell him.

Havoc took that as a sign of guilt and that was all the answer he needed. He'd seen enough of those burn scars in Ishval to know exactly where they came from. "You bastard!" In seconds, he had crossed the room, snatched Roy up by the lapels of his military jacket and slammed him back against the wall. "How could you fucking do that to her?"

Roy's head collided with the wall, but he made no move to defend himself against Havoc. As far as he was concerned, he had it coming after all the terrible things he'd done since joining the military. He felt like nothing more than a monster for what he had done there and even though Riza had been the one to ask him to burn her back, he still carried the guilt of hurting her on top of everything else.

His silence only infuriated Havoc more. "Answer me, dammit!" He shook him again. "What, did you come on to her and she turned you down and you got mad or something? No wonder you two haven't been able to fucking look each other in the eyes for months!"

Riza seemed to momentarily forget her gunshot wound on top of her many others. She shot up, ran over, and pushed Havoc away from Roy. She stood between them. "You forget yourself, Second Lieutenant. I asked him to do it, so if you're going to be angry with anyone, be angry with me for forcing him to use his ability on a comrade! It is the formula for flame alchemy." She was yelling, her voice going in and out but it did nothing to lessen her conviction. "I made him burn what he could so that no one would ever be able to use this power for doing harm to others! You were there, Havoc. You saw what his flames did and can do. So don't you dare hate him for something that wasn't his fault!"

Havoc stared at her. "Well, that certainly explains a lot." He then gasped as Riza started slouching. Her adrenaline had faded and she couldn't seem to stand up straight anymore.

Roy caught her before she hit the floor. "Lieutenant, hang in there!" He lowered them gently to the ground so that he was sitting on the floor against the wall with her cradled against his chest to keep her partially upright. "Get me something to stop the bleeding," he ordered.

Havoc sprang into action and took the sheets from the mattress, tearing the fabric into strips to use as bandages. He used one to create a tourniquet around her arm just above the wound. It looked like the bullet hadn't lodged itself in her arm, so that was a good sign. It had grazed her pretty well though. He set about bandaging the wound with the remaining strips. "I guess I owe you an apology," he said as he worked.

"Save it for later. Let's just worry about getting her somewhere safe."

* * *

Within the next few hours, Riza was in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV to restore her fluids and keep her from suffering from dehydration. Bandages covered almost her entire body. Herring had taken great pleasure in giving her plenty of marks to remember him by. Hayate was laying against her feet at the end of her bed. She smiled and nudged him affectionately. "You did good, boy. Thank you for finding me."

Mustang and Havoc had been waiting in the hallway for the doctor to finish his exam. Once the doctor left, they each took a seat on either side of her hospital bed.

"Havoc and I talked to the investigators after they came to get Herring's body," Roy informed her. "They had some questions for you, but I told them they'd have to wait until after you're well enough to be discharged from the hospital."

Havoc leaned over to scratch Hayate behind the ears as he listened. "You've definitely got an excellent dog, Hawkeye. I don't know how we'd have ever found you without him. Who'd have ever thought Herring would go rogue like that…?"

Mustang frowned. "I should have caught it sooner. He came to me a few weeks ago. He was due for his renewal exam as a state alchemist and he wasn't performing up to the standards they expected of him. He's always been more of a researcher than someone who actually does anything of merit. He thought they were going to strip him of his title and research funds if he didn't have something substantial to show them this time. What I don't understand is how he knew to come to you after I refused to help him."

"He did his research on us." Hawkeye said as she glanced at him meaningfully, then returned her gaze to her hand. The hand that pulled the trigger that ended Colonel Herring's life. Never, ever, had she been so physically close to her victims on the battlefield. Putting a bullet in someone's head at such close range made the impact stronger, and the remains messier. She remembered the sight of his brains on the walls and the floor, as well as herself. Nausea hit her like an anvil and she shot up to lean over the side of her bed to throw up in the trash can next to it.

Both men shot to their feet again.

"Are you ok? Should we get a doctor?" Roy asked.

"She doesn't have a concussion, does she?" Havoc wondered aloud.

Hawkeye couldn't respond until she was done. She seemed to shake a bit as she sat back up and leaned back. "I'm...sorry. I'm okay. I just...he was so close to me...when I killed him." She averted her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look at either of them now. She felt horrible. Even though the man had been a lunatic, and she was defending herself, she could not shake the guilt of what she had done. To a higher ranking officer, no less. She brought a hand up to hide her face.

Hayate whimpered slightly with concern for his human who seemed in distress.

Havoc frowned. "Hawkeye, you did what you had to do. We know that."

"No one blames you. That psychopath would have killed you if you hadn't killed him first. It was between him or you, and we're glad you're the one that made it out alive," Roy said. He wanted nothing more than to be able to take her into his arms and comfort her the way he had back in his tent in Ishval, but they weren't just Roy and Riza anymore and it was impossible. He hated that she had been put through so much because of him.

Havoc resumed his seat and lit a cigarette. "I still owe you an apology for my insubordination earlier today, sir. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

Roy shook his head. "Forget about it. I probably would have thought the same thing if I had been in your position. You can't ever tell anyone else what you saw, though. She was already put in danger today because someone figured out her connection to my alchemy."

Havoc nodded as he took a hit off of his cigarette. "You have my word, Colonel. I'll die before saying anything."

Riza looked at them. "I'm sorry to be so much trouble, Colonel. Please, don't be so hard on yourself. I know that's exactly what you're thinking." Her eyes caught and held his.

He looked back at her for a moment, then quickly looked down and away before Havoc could notice anything had passed between them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N This story primarily follows the timeline of Brotherhood and the manga. 1909 isn't represented in either of those, which left it up to us to realistically portray the characters in the aftermath of Ishval.
> 
> We know from the 2003 anime, that Roy had severe PTSD after Ishval to the point that he was holding a gun to his own head before Marcoh stopped him from killing himself. He's later seen showing signs of PTSD and depression when Hughes visits him in his apartment and again when he and Ed have their Flame vs. Fullmetal fight. If you're unfamiliar with the 2003 anime, you can see all of these scenes by looking on youtube for 'Angel- A Roy Mustang tribute' by muggle405 (who happens to be one of the authors of this story).
> 
> While his PTSD isn't as severe in this version, we've still shown it through some signs in the story like Mustang's withdrawal and isolation from his men. We'll see how the relationships in team Mustang change over the next few years until we reach the point they're at in Brotherhood.
> 
> Riza also shows signs of PTSD, which is to be expected given the circumstances. At this point in her life, she's lost both parents and has no other close relationships. Roy is literally the only person she has left and while she's usually very composed, when it comes to him being in any danger, that's always the exception. We see this in Lab 3 when she absolutely loses it when she thinks Lust has killed him and that's still 5 years away from the point we're at in this story.
> 
> Just as a fun fact, we live in a military town, and PTSD is a very real issue here, which is why we wanted to be sure to show the toll war takes on the soldiers in the aftermath.
> 
> If you read all of that, thank you for sticking with us. We'll have our next chapter up this weekend and it will be a Christmas chapter.
> 
> Please R&R- J & C


	14. Christmas 1909

**Christmas Eve 1909**

Roy watched from his desk as each one of his subordinates slowly packed up and called it a night. It was the day before Christmas and while he'd offered to let them all take the day off, all but Fuery had come in for the day anyway. No one blamed Fuery for taking the day off. He was the only one traveling home for the holiday. The rest of them had family close by that they would be visiting.

All except for himself and Riza, that is.

He could have traveled to Central to spend Christmas with his Aunt Chris and her girls, but he just didn't feel right doing that. Not when he knew Riza would be here by herself.

It was the first Christmas since the war ended and he felt more alone than ever.

On his drive home that night, he passed dozens of couples and families outside decorating, playing in the snow, and doing their last minute Christmas shopping. He wished he could be like them, so carefree.

By the time he reached his apartment, he'd had an idea. He turned around and went back into town.

* * *

Riza woke up early Christmas morning, but it was just like any other day to her. She gave Black Hayate a flavored bone and sat on her couch, watching him enjoy his new treat. She was sipping her coffee when she heard a knock on the door. She eyed it warily. The last time someone came to her place, they kidnapped and tortured her resulting in one of the most traumatic experiences of her life. She grabbed her gun and kept it in her hand this time. She approached the door and looked through its hole.

A surprised look on her face, she put the gun away and opened the door. "Colonel? What in the world-?"

"Good morning and Merry Christmas," he said as he walked past her carrying a large box which he set on her kitchen table. Hayate followed at his heels. Roy began to unpack the box, revealing it to be full of Christmas decorations.

Riza frowned, confused. "Sir, I don't think this is appropriate." Not that she wasn't happy to see him, but they had agreed to no longer see each other romantically. Being alone with him like this would make that difficult.

"On Christmas, I'm not Colonel Mustang and you're not Lieutenant Hawkeye. On Christmas, we're just Roy and Riza." He dug through the box and pulled out a bone wrapped in a bow which he dropped down to the dog who had been waiting patiently at his feet. He looked up at her. "I didn't want to be alone on Christmas," he admitted. "Humor me."

Riza sighed quietly and moved to sit next to him. "You're going to spoil my dog. He's already had a bone this morning." She winked at Hayate, who barked happily before chewing on his new present.

Roy shrugged. "It's Christmas. An extra bone won't kill him." He set a few more decorations on the table. "Want to help me put these up?"

She smiled and shook her head. If this didn't take her back! "Sure. Although you better be prepared to take them down once Christmas is over instead of making me do it." She took a wreath and went to hang it up on her door. "Would you like anything to drink? I have coffee, tea, water, and eggnog."

"Coffee sounds great," he said. Once he was sure she wasn't just going to throw him back out into the cold, he took off his coat and draped it over one of the kitchen chairs. He took three stockings, one for each of them and one for Black Hayate, and hung them on the wall. He then took a small tree out of the box and put it on her coffee table.

It felt nice to be doing something as mundane as decorating for Christmas, like they were teenagers again instead of war veterans.

Riza helped him put up everything else he brought after bringing him a cup of coffee. It was made the way he liked it. She knew that about him. And so many other things.

They sat side by side on the floor in front of the tree, watching the lights and holding their drinks.

She smiled at the stockings on the wall. It was silly, but also sweet. It felt as though she had a family again. "You certainly outdid yourself, Col-I mean, Roy." she said, sipping some eggnog that she had prepared for herself.

He smiled back at her. "Thanks for not kicking me out. I was worried you might for a minute there."

She shrugged. "I have no reason to do that. We can still be friends, after all." Even though she would always want much, much more than that.

_Friends_. His mind caught on the word. He didn't really have many of those anymore. Perhaps he wasn't as alone as he felt.

She gave him a curious look. "Are you alright? Wanna talk about something?" She took a drink of her eggnog.

"It's nothing," he said with a small shake of his head. "Just something about the way you said we were friends...I dunno. Guess I haven't really felt like I have friends for a while now."

Riza frowned. "Look, Roy. I know we made an agreement. I'm sure it's been difficult. But that doesn't mean you have to keep your distance. We can be friends at work, too. Hell, the only other person I talk to is Havoc, and it's usually me lecturing him to get to work." She shrugged. "Yours would be a welcome addition to our side of the room. And the others aren't bad men, either. They go out a lot after work most nights, so maybe you could jump into that with them." This detail obviously excluded her. She watched as Hayate made his way to curl up against Roy.

He rested his hand on the dog's head, giving him a gentle pat. He took a sip of his coffee and mulled over her words as he stared ahead at the flickering lights on the tree. They reminded him of fire. "I suppose I have been rather distant from everyone at work," he admitted. "Sometimes it's just hard to feel like I deserve to have things like friendship and happiness after all the horrors I committed in Ishval."

Riza looked at him sympathetically. "I could go on about how you deserve all the good things that everyone else does, too. But I know you won't accept that. So what I can tell you, is that I know exactly how you feel because I feel the same way."

He looked over at her then. "Well, aren't we quite the pair," he said with a humorless laugh. "I'll try harder to make friends if you will."

She looked down at her cup. "Sure. But I'm sure you won't have any problems once you start. You are much friendlier than me." She thought about the young boy who had been so open and kind his first day of meeting her, a total stranger. She didn't realize she wasn't smiling, and her gaze was lost in her cup of eggnog.

Roy moved as if to comfort her, but caught himself and let his hand drop to pet Hayate instead. He hated seeing her unhappy and knowing that it was all his fault. She had joined the military and gone to Ishval for him. Maybe if she had never met him, she would have been better off. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come over here and make you sad on Christmas Day."

She looked up at him at the sound of his voice. "No, please don't apologize. I was just thinking about how happy you used to be. Before all of this. Back when we first met." She smirked slightly.

"Funny. I was just thinking the same about you and how much happier you would probably be if it weren't for me being in your life." He said it with a tone of humor, but it was something he really did believe.

Riza looked at him sternly. He had saved her in so many ways. Didn't he understand that he made everything worth it to her?

"You really have no idea how much better my life is simply because you are in it. If you continue to insist otherwise, I'm going to have to pour my drink on you."

Roy chuckled then. "I believe you would, too."

She smirked. She watched Hayate roll over to expose his belly in Roy's lap. She chuckled. "He likes you. He doesn't usually take to strangers so quickly."

"I like him, too," Roy said, scratching the dog behind the ears. "They say dogs are supposed to be good judges of character, so I guess I should take it as a compliment that he likes me. It might just be because I brought him a bone for Christmas, though," he mused. "What made you decide to get a dog anyway?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Well. I was alone. After the war, after everything with us. I guess I wanted a companion. And he needed a home." She looked at him. "He loves me unconditionally."

He smiled. "Maybe I should get a dog. Or maybe you could start bringing Black Hayate to work with you sometimes. I'm sure he'd be a useful addition to the team."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? I can bring him to work?" She didn't mind the idea at all. She loved her dog.

"I don't see why not."

She laughed softly. "Well, thank you. Maybe I will." She gripped her cup to keep from doing something stupid. She sipped her drink.

He watched her over the rim of his own mug as he finished off his coffee. Seeing her there sitting across from him still in her pajamas brought him back to simpler times. Without her uniform on, it was easy to imagine they were still back at her old house celebrating Christmas like they had before. He missed it. He missed her. "You're so beautiful out of uniform," he blurted out. "Not that you're not still beautiful in uniform," he hastily added.

She smiled, a blush tinging her cheeks. She looked at him, then at his coffee cup. "Uh, thank you. I'll go get you some more coffee. Or would you prefer something else?" She asked, standing and taking his cup gently, without touching his fingers, and going into her kitchen, keeping her back to him to hide her red face. Being friends was hard.

"Coffee is fine," he said. After she left the room, he sighed and looked at Hayate. "Probably shouldn't have said that, should I?" he muttered.

Hayate tilted his head as dogs do and made a little noise. He nuzzled Roy's hand.

Riza sighed as she began making him another cup of coffee. She finished and turned back to bring it to him. This was silly. She was being incredibly rude. When she handed him his cup, she allowed her fingers to graze his and it sent an electric sensation up her arm and throughout her body. She missed him so much it made her chest hurt to dwell on it for long. She did her best to smile and she took a seat next to him, a little closer this time. She couldn't help herself. "Being here like this certainly brings up pleasant memories."

"It does," Roy agreed. "Makes me think of our first Christmas together when I gave you those earrings. I'm surprised you still wear them," he admitted. "They're not anything special, really, just some metal I transmuted into earrings."

She hoped that if her cheeks appeared flushed that he would assume it was from the eggnog. She shook her head. "No, they are, though. They're the first gift I'd ever received from a...friend. And the fact that you made them makes them all the more special. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit."

He smiled. "Well, I'm glad you like them." Truthfully, it meant a lot to him that she had kept them so long. He never saw her wear anything different. "Hard to believe it's been 7 years now."

She looked into his eyes. "Yes. It felt like forever as it passed but now, looking back, it doesn't seem that long to me. It already feels as if I've known you much longer." She admitted. She longed to reach out and touch him somehow, but she couldn't.

"I know what you mean."

They talked for hours into the night, reminiscing on all the good times they'd shared at the Hawkeye estate. Before they knew it, the sun had set and it was approaching eight o'clock at night.

"I should go. We've both got work in the morning," Roy said as he flipped his pocket watch closed. He stood and stretched. "I'll help you take the decorations down first, though."

She nodded and set to helping him take down what he had brought. When they came to the little tree he had placed on her coffee table, she shook her head at him. "No, you can leave this one. I'll worry about it later."

"Alright, I guess I'll see you at the office in the morning, then." He tucked the box of decorations under one arm and reached out to give her a gentle hug with the other.

She was a little surprised, but she returned his hug anyway. It felt natural to embrace him like this. She held him for a moment before pulling away just enough to look up into his dark eyes. Her mind was running rampant with her memories of the two of them as teens, before heartache had crossed their paths. Before the war, before the killing. They were two kids in love and too stubborn to realize it. Hell, she was still in love.

Their eyes met and Roy leaned in slightly as if drawn to her by some unseen force. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her just once more, but he knew it would only lead to more heartache for them in the future if he gave into the impulse now. He shut his eyes briefly, fighting off the desire to kiss her and turned away. "Goodnight, Lieutenant," he said just before stepping through the open apartment door and closing it behind him.

He stopped then and leaned back against the closed door, one hand coming up to push his hair back. It was pure torture being so close to her every day, but never being able to be with her in the way he wanted.

Riza's gaze fell from the closed door to the floor. She turned and leaned against the door, not lifting her head. Black Hayate sat at her feet, looking up at her curiously. She knew he didn't want or mean to hurt her. He was simply doing what needed to be done. He was being the strong one. If he hadn't been, she would've allowed him to kiss her, no questions asked. Just one more time. But he knew better.

She knew better.

But it still didn't make her feel any better. Instead, she felt lonelier than ever.

She covered her face with her hands and slowly slid down to the floor. Hayate took a step to start licking her hands. She moved them so that her arms encircled her beloved dog, the only friend she had who would never leave her side. "Merry Christmas, Hayate." Her eyes looked over at the crack of the hallway light under her door. "Goodnight, Colonel."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this is our shortest chapter yet, but it's one we really liked writing. The next few chapters will more than make up for the short length of this one, we promise. - J&C


	15. May 1910

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: No angst this chapter, we promise. There was enough of that the last two chapters. Just lots of jealous Roy and Riza this time around.

* * *

**May 1910**

With only five months remaining until his wedding, Maes Hughes made plans to visit East City with his fiancee to ask Roy Mustang to be his best man. As it happened, Gracia's maid of honor also lived in the East and they thought it would be an excellent opportunity for the two to meet over dinner.

All of this was sprung on Roy within minutes of Hughes' arrival at Eastern Command. Hughes had then turned to Lieutenant Hawkeye and invited her to join them all as well since she hadn't yet had an opportunity to meet Gracia. Coincidentally, another of his intended's friends also lived in the East and would be joining them.

"A triple date, if you will." Hughes had explained.

Neither Roy or Riza were exactly comfortable with it, but they had agreed to call off their relationship because it was illegal. So as far as everyone else knew, there was no reason to say no.

Riza looked less than happy as she slipped into her dress for dinner later that night. "Oh, he's a nice guy!" she mimicked Hughes. The cheerful tone didn't match her expression at all. "You can bring him to my wedding if you like him!" She grunted. "Please."

Hayate tilted his head while looking at his human. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Don't judge me, dog. I don't go out and socialize for a reason." Hayate just continued staring, then began to pant and wag his tail. She chuckled, patted his head, then said her goodbyes on the way out her door to go meet up with everyone.

* * *

Roy had already met up with Hughes and Gracia prior to meeting everyone else at the restaurant to catch up.

"Marie's a great girl," Hughes was telling him. "She's going to be Gracia's maid of honor and since you're the best man, we thought it'd be great for you two to get acquainted and if you hit it off, even better! Then we can all go to your wedding next."

Roy's eyebrow twitched in mild annoyance, but otherwise he kept his expression neutral. This was going to be the most miserable night of his life. Not only was he getting dragged on a date he didn't want to be on, but he had to watch Riza on a date with someone else the whole time. He knew he had no right to say anything about her love life if she did take a liking to Gracia's friend. She deserved someone who could be with her and make her happy, but secretly he hoped the guy was ugly and stupid.

Much to his dismay, when they arrived at the restaurant, Riza's date was already standing near the doors. He was neither ugly nor stupid. In fact, he was quite handsome and well-dressed. He was a few inches taller than Roy and obviously worked out.

"You've got to be kidding me," Roy muttered under his breath. He wasn't sure what he'd done to offend Hughes, but clearly karma was after him for something.

Riza was the last to arrive. She was wearing a plain black dress that came to just above her knees. It wasn't very low cut and the back was high so her burns were covered as well as the remains of her tattoo. There was a thick red belt around her small waist. There was also a gun holster strapped to her upper thigh. If this "blind date" was thinking to get lucky tonight, he'd have another thing coming.

She got out of her cab at the restaurant to see everyone already gathered in the front. She saw another woman approach. That must be Roy's date. She was prettier than Riza had been hoping for. Her hair was long and beautiful. Riza messed with her own short hair. She had tried to curl it but it came out terribly. It was pulled back into a small ponytail, a few tendrils escaped for lack of length. She sighed and approached with a polite smile. "Hello," She greeted.

Roy looked up when Riza arrived. He felt the air rush out of his lungs at the sight of her, but quickly schooled his features and looked away before anyone could notice. He turned and saw Hughes watching him.

While they had waited, Roy had had no choice but to talk to Riza's date, Eugene, and had unfortunately found the man to be quite likable. Under other circumstances, he was sure they could have become friends.

Hughes waved to Riza as she approached. "Glad you could make it! I don't believe you've met my beloved Gracia, yet, have you?"

Riza shook her head and held her hand out to Gracia, who took it for a handshake. "No, it's lovely to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from your fiancé." _Nonstop information, in fact_ , she thought.

Gracia laughed and smiled. "Same here, Miss Hawkeye. It's a pleasure. Oh, these are my friends-Eugene and Maria."

Riza nodded and said hello to Marie as nicely as she could. She seemed like a nice girl. She would look good on Roy's arm at military balls and events and conferences. She would have that super model hair and beauty pageant smile that Riza could never hope to compete with. The thought made her queasy. She turned to Eugene. He was handsome. He had a nice smile. She smiled at him and said hello before offering her hand to shake.

She glanced at Roy. "Hello, Colonel."

"Lieutenant." He nodded in greeting.

Eugene took her hand and raised it to his lips. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Hawkeye. You're even lovelier than Maes said."

Roy had to turn away to keep from punching him. He turned to Marie and forced a smile. She was pretty, there was no doubt about that, but he'd rather be spending the evening with Riza. "It's nice to meet you, Marie. Hughes has told me a lot about you." Far more than he ever wanted to know, to be honest.

Riza was startled by the gesture. It made her feel weird and she itched to grab her gun, but she refrained. She smoothly wormed her hand away and back to her side. She eyeballed Marie and Roy.

"Same to you. Maes always talks about you whenever I'm around." Marie gave him a wink.

Riza really, REALLY wanted to shoot her. She nearly reflexively grabbed her gun, but again refrained. She tried to look at everyone else instead. "So, do we have a reservation or can we just walk in? I'm starving." She just wanted to get this nightmare over with.

Hughes grinned and looked at Gracia. "We reserved a table. Let's head in."

The hostess showed them to their table. When they got there, Eugene held out a chair for Riza.

Roy noticed this. At least the guy was a gentleman. He held a chair for Marie before taking the seat next to her. They were across from Eugene and Riza, but after Hughes and Gracia had taken their seats, these were the only two left so he had to make the best of it. "So, how do you know Hughes and Gracia?" he asked Marie conversationally.

"Oh, Gracia and I have been friends since our school days," Marie answered. She was leaning forward and her cleavage was obvious.

Riza glowered at them. This was such a bad idea. She shouldn't have agreed to come. She picked up her menu and started browsing through it. She didn't say anything to Eugene. She didn't care and didn't want to be there so if he wanted to talk, he could talk. She looked at Hughes and noticed a devious expression on his face. She narrowed her eyes. What was he up to?

Hughes winked at Gracia. His plan was going splendidly. Did this make him a sadist? Hm. Psychological sadist perhaps. Nobody was in physical pain here. He glanced at his co-workers. Well. On second thought.

"That's nice." This was all Roy said. He glanced down at his menu, then across the table at Riza before looking quickly away just in time to see Hughes wink at Gracia. He wondered what that was about, but figured it was standard behavior for him.

Gracia smiled back at her fiancé. She was still not quite sure why all of this was necessary.

Marie looked at her menu as well. "If you're not sure what to get, I recommend their alfredo. It's amazing here."

"It's pretty good. I always order something with mushrooms." Gracia chimed in. She felt sorry for Roy and Riza suffering because her future husband liked to go overboard with his meddling.

Eugene didn't seem to take the hint that Riza didn't want to talk. "So I hear Maes owes you for saving his life during the war. He said you're quite good with a gun. Maybe we could go to the shooting range together sometime?"

"You could take her, but you know, she'd probably just show you up." said Hughes to Eugene. "She's the best sniper in the Amestrian armed forces."

Riza decided what she wanted and put her menu down. She looked at Hughes and Eugene. "Thank you, but I just do what I was trained to do."

Roy offered her a small smile. "She's saved me a few times as well."

Eugene looked between Roy and Riza for a moment. "Well, you sound pretty amazing," he said to her in an effort to reclaim her attention. "What else do you like to do for fun?"

At this point, Hughes turned his attention on Roy and Marie. "Gracia and I are so glad you've both agreed to be in the wedding party. It's good you get to meet before the big day since, as the best man, you'll be escorting her in."

Marie smiled. "I'm very excited to be on such a handsome arm!" She said excitedly. "And you're so tall. I like tall men." She winked at him again.

"I'm not that tall," Roy said bluntly. "Eugene's taller than I am. So is Hughes for that matter." He fidgeted a bit uncomfortably in his chair and his foot touched something under the table. He realized it was Riza's foot and quickly pulled back.

Riza almost fell out of her chair. He'd be escorting her? That bitch. No, it was Hughes! _Damn Hughes_! She sighed inaudibly and looked at Eugene. "I don't really do anything but work, honestly. And read. And clean my weapons." She looked away. Even if she wasn't interested, she really did feel boring when she spoke her hobbies aloud. She felt a foot meet hers and she jumped slightly. She realized it was Roy's and relaxed.

"Oh, what do you like to read?" Eugene asked. "I have quite a collection at home. You're welcome to borrow a few books sometime."

This guy sure was friendly. In an almost pushy way. She sipped at the wine the waiter had just poured in their glasses. "Maybe."

Marie laughed. "Even so, you're still taller than me! So, Roy, what do you do when you're not at work?"

"I'm pretty much always at work," Roy said. He hoped that knowing how busy he was would help deter her since he didn't have much time for a relationship even if he wanted one. "You see, my assistant is a bit of a slave driver when it comes to me getting paperwork done."

Eugene started to say something else to Riza, but the waitress arrived and took their orders. After she left, he smiled at her. "So, will you be attending the wedding?"

"Yes." She said to Eugene. She glared at Roy. "I heard that, Colonel."

Hughes chuckled. "She certainly keeps you in line!"

Gracia laughed. "Men are hopeless like that."

Marie nodded. "I agree. Where would they be without us?"

"The technical term would be unborn." Riza threw in.

Roy smirked. He was pleased to have gotten a reaction out of her. "It's true. She really is a slave driver."

Eugene was a little behind the game. "So you two work together, then?"

Riza continued glaring, but some amusement glittered in her eyes. "Yes, I'm his Lieutenant. Otherwise known as his assistant. And I may drive him like a slave, but he works me like a dog. All the paperwork he doesn't wanna do? I do it. Phone calls he doesn't want to make? I make them."

"That's because he's lazy." Hughes chimed in.

Marie laughed. "That's so funny. It's a good thing he has you around, Miss Hawkeye. Sounds like he'd be hopeless otherwise."

Riza smirked. _It's a good thing indeed_ , she thought, _and you'd do well to remember that_.

Eugene watched the exchange between Roy and Riza closely. He was beginning to get the sense that there was some sort of history between them.

The smirk slid right off Roy's face. He looked a bit dejected. Was that really how she felt about working with him? "My apologies, Lieutenant. I didn't realize you hated working with me so much."

Riza looked at Roy curiously. She had said what she did in harmless humor. She watched Marie turn and get all friendly and cozy with him and it set her nerves on fire-not in a good way. "Colonel, I was merely stating facts. If I hated working with you, you would know it." She looked at Eugene. "So, Hughes said you're a doctor of sorts?"

Eugene smiled in a charming way. "Yes, I work at a hospital not far from here, actually. I specialize in attaching automail limbs for amputees."

"That's a pretty noble career." Riza said. "I'm sure many are grateful to you."

Of course he was a doctor. Why wouldn't he be? Roy was beginning to think Hughes picked this guy just to tick him off. Good-looking, polite, a doctor. He didn't see any reason a woman wouldn't be interested in this guy. Roy turned back to Marie. "That's enough about us. What do you do?"

Marie smiled flirtatiously. "I work as a bartender at night and during the day I do hair."

He made himself smile back at Marie. "Really? Sounds like you keep very busy."

Marie chuckled. "Indeed I do. Money certainly doesn't come easy!"

Hughes watched with interest. Gracia couldn't help but think he may have gone a bit too far with this plan. She hoped it didn't backfire on him.

The rest of the meal continued in a similar fashion. Afterwards, they all stood on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant saying their goodbyes.

"It was good of you all to come," Hughes was saying. "We had a great time."

"Yes, thank you," said Gracia. "We're looking forward to seeing all of you at the wedding."

Eugene turned to Riza. "I'd be honored to escort you home, Miss Hawkeye."

Riza blinked. She didn't think he would want to. She'd been so uninteresting throughout dinner. Oh, well. She gave him a small smile. "Thank you. How kind."

Roy watched this with a scowl until Hughes gave him a pointed look. He turned to Marie. "May I walk you home?"

Marie smiled. "Sure. It would be a long walk, though. Care to share a cab with me?"

Roy nodded. "Sounds great." He flagged down a taxi and held the door open for her.

"See you guys later!" Hughes waved as he and Gracia took off.

Eugene smiled at Riza as they begin to walk in the direction of her apartment. "It was great to finally meet you, Miss Hawkeye. Hughes certainly didn't exaggerate when he told me about you."

She shrugged. "I'm really not that great. But thank you all the same."

"I think you sell yourself short. You're a wonderful woman, Miss Hawkeye. Any man would be lucky to have you, but something tells me your heart's already taken." He gave her a knowing smile.

Riza gave him a startled look. "What do you mean? I'm not seeing anyone. I don't really have time around my work schedule to even consider it." She felt nervous. What was he talking about, already taken?

Eugene watched her, still smiling. "Hey, no big deal, I get it. He seems like a good guy and he'd be an idiot if he let you get away."

"I really have no idea what you're talking about, Eugene." She saw her apartment building approaching. "Do you mean the Colonel? Please. He's just my boss."

Eugene walked her to the door of her apartment. "My apologies if I was mistaken, but it seemed like there was a bit more going on there." He handed her one of his business cards. "On the off chance I was mistaken, feel free to give me a call. Otherwise, I'll plan on seeing you at the wedding."

She sighed and took the card to be polite, but she knew she'd never be calling him. "Thanks. It was nice meeting you, Eugene. I'll see you at the wedding. Thanks for walking me home." She leaned to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek before going inside. She seemed to slouch more once she was inside. How could he know? Did everyone know? They hadn't even been seeing each other outside of work after their agreement not to with the exception of when he had come over on Christmas.

* * *

Marie got into the cab. "Well I must say, Colonel Mustang, everything Maes ever told me about you rings true." She smiled.

"Only good things, I hope," he said. He was a bit distracted thinking about Dr. McDreamy walking Riza home.

Marie smiled. "For the most part they were good things." They neared her apartment building. "Well, this is my stop. Be sure to tell your pretty assistant how jealous I am of her."

"I will. Wait, what?" Roy was confused when he realized what she just said.

Marie chuckled. "She gets you all to herself. You guys are so into each other-it's so obvious! Just do me a favor and make sure she doesn't shoot me at the wedding for being on your arm in the ceremony. It's just for show!"

He smiled at her apologetically. There was no use denying it. Women were far too perceptive about matters like this. "I'm sorry if you feel like you wasted your time coming tonight. You're a lovely girl and I'm sure you'll make some man very happy one day."

Marie nodded. "It was an entertaining dinner. And you're right-I'll make a man very happy one day! Ta, Roy. See you at the wedding!" She waved before stepping out and going inside her place.

Roy watched her go, then gave the driver Riza's address instead of his own on impulse. He knew it was hardly appropriate to be visiting his Lieutenant this late, but he had to see her. If he waited until tomorrow, he'd lose his nerve. When they pulled up to her building, Roy paid the driver, then looked up at her window, searching for a light to make sure she was still up before he walked into the building. As he approached her door, he worried that Eugene might still be there, in which case, he was too late. He hesitated, then quietly knocked on the door.

Riza had let her hair down. It fell in a wavy bob to just below her chin. She was in her underwear, but when she heard the knock she grabbed her robe. She wondered who it could be this late at night. When she opened it, she blinked in surprise. "What the-?"

Words couldn't express how relieved Roy was when he realized she was alone in the apartment. He wasn't sure what he would have done if Eugene had still been there. He stood there grinning like an idiot for a moment. "Look, Riza." It felt good to say her name instead of her title for once. "Cards on the table. I don't want to be with anyone else and I really don't want you to be with anyone else. And I probably should have brought you flowers or something, but I didn't really have time." He realized he was rambling. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm still in love with you, Riza Hawkeye. And I want to try to make this work. May I come in?"

She just stared at him. She remained quiet, but nodded. She stepped back and opened the door for him to enter. She couldn't find the words at the moment. There were too many to choose from. Hayate barked happily when he realized who was at the door.

He stepped through the door and closed it behind him, then stood there awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he waited for her response. He was starting to feel more and more like an idiot the longer he stood there. "Well, I guess this is the part where you tell me to get lost. I'll let myself out." He took a step toward the door.

She grabbed his arm. "No. I'm just so happy." She looked at him. "I couldn't stand watching you with that other woman!" She looked relieved. And she was. She still loved him so deeply.

He felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders when she stopped him from leaving and turned back to face her. "Hey, Marie's a nice girl, but she's not you. I couldn't stand seeing with you with him all night either. Tall, handsome, successful doctor. How could I ever hope to compete with that?"

"He's not what I need." She took a step closer. "I need a companion, not a provider. I provide just fine for myself."

He smiled at her. "So what do you say? Want to give it a shot?"

She smiled at him before leaning up and kissing his mouth. This was her answer. She knew she'd never want anyone else.

His heart soared when he felt her lips on his. It just felt right. He knew she was the only woman for him. His hands found her waist and pulled her against him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Darn that meddling Hughes ;) Next chapter will be up soon.


	16. October 1910

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The next few chapters are going to be a bit more humorous, but we'll be back to all the drama and more action oriented chapters soon.

**October 1910**

Several months passed. Roy and Riza were able to keep their relationship hidden from everyone, seeing each other in secret whenever they were able. Sadly, that wasn't often.

That was one of the reasons Roy was looking forward to the trip to Central for Hughes's wedding. He hoped to be able to spend more time with her away from the office where he had to feign indifference to her presence whenever their coworkers were around.

Having met Hughes during Ishval, Havoc was also invited to the wedding. The three traveled together by train from the East to Central City and then got a cab to their hotel. By this point, Roy was beginning to see Havoc as a bit of an annoying third wheel.

They arrived at the hotel shortly before the rehearsal dinner and picked up the keys to their rooms. They had just enough time to go up to their rooms and change before the dinner. Roy was pleased to learn that his room was directly across from Riza's and Havoc was on a completely different floor. Part of him wondered if Hughes had deliberately made the booking that way or if it was just a coincidence. He had long since concluded that the blind date debacle was all a machination of Hughes to get them to quit denying their feelings for each other and he was grateful for it.

His suspicions were further confirmed when he and Riza were seated next to each other at the rehearsal dinner. He spent quite a bit of the meal discreetly holding her hand under the table.

After the dinner, some guests lingered to chat, but Roy got up from the table, claiming to be exhausted from the day of traveling they'd had and made his way to the elevator. He pressed the button to call the lift and glanced over his shoulder in time to see Riza making her excuses and leaving the table as well. He held the elevator for her.

Riza stepped into the elevator and hit the button to close the doors before looking at him. "I feel like that dinner was exhausting. His relatives are as obnoxious as he is."

"You get used to them after awhile," he told her. He had met them once before at the academy graduation. Once the doors closed, he leaned in and kissed her. "I've been waiting to do that all day," he said as he pulled back.

She got a dreamy look on her face. "It's a good thing you're so patient. I've practically been on the edge of my seat waiting for that."

He smirked. "Well, I'd hate to disappoint you then." He kissed her again, this time a bit more passionately.

She let out a little mewling sound and held the back of his neck. "My, my." She said breathlessly after pulling away for air. "Has someone been a little sexually frustrated lately?" she teased.

He chuckled. "It has been a while, you know."

"I know." The elevator bell rang and she took a step back. "I brought something to wear that I think you'll enjoy." She winked and was the first to exit the elevator.

"Really, now?" He was grinning as he followed her out of the elevator and down the hall toward their rooms.

"Give me 5 minutes." She said seductively before entering her room. She set to changing immediately and finished with her robe.

Roy, meanwhile, paced anxiously in his room while he waited for her. He was not even sure when the last time they'd been alone like this was at this point. It seemed like something would almost always come up to prevent them from meeting. To say he was looking forward to having her to himself for the evening was an understatement.

She opened her door enough to peek, then ran across and knocked on his.

He was quick to open the door for her. He felt more like they were teenagers sneaking around than adults in a serious relationship.

She smiled. "Miss me?" She hurried through the door so she wasn't standing in the hall in nothing but her robe and lingerie.

He quickly shut the door behind her and pulled her into his arms, his mouth meeting hers for a passionate kiss. His hands were already working on undoing the knot of the robe's belt.

She kissed him back and stood still until he untied the knot and dropped the robe. It revealed red and black lingerie consisting of a corset and skimpy matching panties. She pressed her body against his once more. She could feel the need already growing below her stomach. She wanted him badly, as much as he'd wanted her.

He pulled back just long enough to get a good look at what she was wearing. His jaw hung open. "You look amazing." He kissed her again as his hands roamed freely over her curves and he walked her back towards the bed.

She grinned as she kissed him back. When her legs hit the bed, she fell onto it and grabbed his hips aggressively. She moaned slightly and looked up at him, her head level with his belt line.

He looked back at her with lust-filled eyes and was quite obviously aroused.

A knock sounded at the door before he could do anything else.

He groaned. "Ignore it and maybe they'll go away."

Riza was about to comment, but her voice and hands froze when the knock came again, louder this time. They heard Havoc's voice, "Colonel! Hey! You in there?! We have a bachelor party to attend!"

Riza looked up at Roy. "Bachelor party?" She mouthed.

If ever there was a time when Roy Mustang considered murdering Jean Havoc, this would be it. The whole trip here, he'd been the only thing that stood in the way of him having some alone time with Riza. Now that he'd finally managed to get her to himself, here was Havoc to ruin it all again.

"Don't worry, I'll get rid of him." He reluctantly disentangled himself from her and took a few breaths to compose himself before going to the door. He opened it just wide enough to be able to talk to the nuisance. "What are you talking about, Havoc? Hughes wasn't having a bachelor party. I'm the best man, I would have heard about it."

"I found out there wasn't one and insisted that it change. And since you're the best man, your presence is pretty much required." Havoc grinned.

Riza heard the conversation and sighed. Havoc strikes again.

Roy tried to think of a way out of it, but with his blood flow currently directed away from his brain, he was having difficulty coming up with a reasonable excuse.

He either had to go with Havoc or risk his relationship with Riza being discovered. He hoped she wouldn't kill him for this.

"Alright, I'll go." It was the last thing he wanted to say, but there was no other choice. "Just let me grab my room key." He shut the door in Havoc's face and turned back to Riza, mouthing 'I'm sorry.' He crossed the room to her and kissed her once more. "I'll be back as soon as I can get away," he promised in a whisper.

Riza nodded. "I understand. I'll wait a while but if I'm not here when you get back I'm probably in my room."

He nodded and headed back to the door, not wanting to make Havoc suspicious by taking too long. He opened the door just wide enough to step through and closed it behind him. "Where are we going for this impromptu bachelor party you've planned?" he asked as they walked down the hall toward the elevator.

"I was thinking this nice little bar in a small part of town. It's got hot girls from what I hear." Havoc said. "Can't have a bachelor party without boobs."

Riza, meanwhile, decided to just go ahead and sneak back into her room when the coast was clear.

"And you got Hughes to agree to this?" he asked skeptically as they rode the elevator down to the lobby.

"It wasn't terribly difficult." A thought seemed to strike him. "Hey, do you think we should invite Hawkeye too? She's practically one of the guys. I'm sure Hughes wouldn't mind."

"No!" He said quickly, perhaps a bit too quickly. "That's a spectacularly bad idea. What makes you think the Lieutenant would want to go to a bachelor party?"

Havoc shrugged. "I mean, she's hot and all but she does have a masculine air about her."

"Lieutenant Havoc! That is hardly an appropriate way to be speaking about Lieutenant Hawkeye." Roy lectured, though he knew he had no room to talk about the appropriateness of his conduct given what he had just been doing with her minutes before. "It's on your own head if she shoots you or reports you for sexual harassment if she ever hears you say something like that."

At this point, the elevator reached the lobby and Roy stepped out. He could see Hughes and some of the other guys waiting near the entrance.

"It's a harmless observation, Colonel, I swear!" said Havoc, wondering why Roy was so touchy. He shrugged. "I'll go ask her just in case." He stayed in the elevator, grinning as the door started to shut.

Roy's jaw dropped again for the second time that evening, but for an entirely different reason as he watched the doors close in front of Havoc. _Dammit_. He hoped she had gone back to her own room so Havoc didn't realize she was missing. Then he was confident that she could scare Havoc off with a menacing look and threats about disturbing her so late.

He made his way over to join Hughes and the others.

"Where'd your friend go? This was his plan." asked Eugene.

"To invite Lieutenant Hawkeye along."

Eugene looked confused. "But she is...?"

"I know." Roy replied. "His idea, not mine." He was obviously not pleased about it.

* * *

Upstairs, Havoc was exiting the elevator. He made his way to Hawkeye's door and knocked a lot more politely than the banging on Roy's door he had done earlier.

Riza looked up from her book, confused. Did Roy manage to escape early? Luckily she was clad in pajamas now. She put her book down and answered her door. She was surprised and suddenly weary, as well as mildly irritated, to discover Havoc.

"Havoc, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Sorry for disturbing you so late." Havoc smiled at her. "A group of us are about to head to the bar for Hughes's last hurrah as a single man. Want to join us?"

"Oh." She looked unamused. "Why would you think I would want to go? It's a bachelor thing. I'm not a bachelor."

The argument made more sense to him when it came from Hawkeye than it did coming from Mustang, even if it was essentially the same thing. The grin faded from his face. "Oh. Well. I just didn't want you to feel left out since the rest of us are all going. It's just a good chance to actually get out and have some fun for once." He shrugged. "Even the Colonel is going."

"Well the Colonel is a man, so I'm not surprised." Especially considering she'd seen him leave to attend. "Is this your idea or did Hughes want me to come for some weird, disturbing reason?"

"Mine." Havoc admitted. "C'mon! It'll be fun! You need to have fun every once in awhile."

She sighed. "Where are you guys going exactly? Just drinking a bit?" she asked.

"Yeah, just to a local bar. Nothing too crazy. It'll be like old times when we used to go drinking with Rebecca back at the academy."

Riza contemplated this a moment. She resigned and let out another sigh. "Fine. Just for one drink, if you insist. Let me change."

Havoc visibly brightened. "Great! We'll meet you in the lobby!" He headed to the elevator.

* * *

When Havoc emerged alone from the elevator, Roy was relieved. It was short-lived, however, as the Second Lieutenant announced "She'll be down in a few minutes," to the men assembled at the entrance.

"You've got to be kidding me." Roy muttered under his breath. He saw Hughes giving him a look. "What?"

"Nothing. The more the merrier, right?"

Havoc smiled victoriously and looked at Roy. "You really didn't want her to come, did you?" He said to him quietly.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Roy asked him, obviously irritated. It was bad enough that Havoc had managed to single handedly ruin their evening alone together, but now he was going to have to go back to pretending indifference to her presence when he felt anything but that.

The elevator stopped and Riza stepped out wearing jeans and a plain high necked black shirt. She looked weary and unamused. She made her way over with a grumpy face. "I'm here. Can we please get this over with?"

She glanced at Roy. It was just a drink with the guys. At least in a way she could still be around him, if not in the way she truly wanted.

They all set off on foot toward their destination, Havoc leading the way. "It's not far from the hotel, actually," he was saying to Eugene. "The hotel concierge told me about it."

Roy was walking a little ways behind Riza. He had to avoid looking at her, because when he did, his mind had a tendency to wander to what she might be wearing under her outfit. Was she still wearing the lingerie? Unlikely, he decided. Probably traded it out for a few gun holsters instead.

He was beginning to think this night couldn't possibly get any worse when Havoc once again proved him horribly wrong. They turned down a side street and Roy got a sinking feeling in his gut when he realized he recognized this road. But there were lots of bars and clubs on this road, so what were the odds?

"Madame Christmas's Bar!" Havoc announced as they reached their destination.

"You've got to be kidding me." Roy muttered yet again that evening. Of all the places to get a drink in Central, leave it to Havoc to pick this one.

One of the waitresses squealed when they walked in. "Roy!" She launched herself at him and hugged him.

"Nice to see you, too, Vanessa," he said, returning the hug.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Vanessa demanded as she pulled back. "Wait till I tell Chloe you're here!" She hurried off, presumably to do just that.

Havoc watched this, mouth hanging open. "Man, some guys have all the luck."

Riza hadn't ever met this Vanessa girl and was instantly on edge when she saw the warm greeting Roy received.

Roy could feel Riza watching him, but he couldn't very well explain to her now with everyone else here.

He didn't have the time to explain anyway as a new voice rang out, much more commanding than the first. "Roy!"

He cringed and turned toward the bar where the voice came from and headed that way. "Hi, Aunt Chris."

"How many times do I have to tell you it's 'Madame Christmas' during business hours?" She said it in a joking manner, but he knew she was serious. He also knew what he was supposed to call her, but had intentionally slipped up in the hopes that Riza would make the connection and realize who Vanessa and Chloe were.

Madame Christmas wiped a glass as she stood behind the bar, regarding her nephew. She hadn't seen him in person in years. Not since he had come to visit during his military leave three years before. "I'm glad to see you're doing well. Who are your friends?"

Roy knew she knew very well who most of the other men were. At least those who were in the military and stationed in Central. She may have even known who some of the soldiers from other areas are as well. Her information network was quite impressive. But he played along anyway and moved around the room making introductions. "Major Maes Hughes, Major Alex Louis Armstrong, Sergeant Denny Brosch, Eugene...sorry, I don't know your last name. Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc," he paused very briefly, "and First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

Her eyebrow lifted when he reluctantly gave the last name. She, of course, recognized it as the daughter of his alchemy instructor. He had failed to mention in his letters that she had also enlisted.

Riza sighed in relief when she realized who they all were. This was his family. She smiled softly in his aunt's direction. She couldn't be too open and friendly, because why would it matter under normal circumstances? Too many work friends were around to witness. She looked at Hughes. "I'll buy your first round, FLT. Colonel." Then maybe she could leave sooner. She moved to the bar.

"You don't have to call me by my title here, Hawkeye," Hughes said. "We're all just friends going out for drinks tonight."

At this point, Vanessa reappeared with another pretty woman in her late twenties who must have been Chloe. She greeted Roy much the same way as Vanessa. "You've gotten so tall!" she said after hugging him.

Havoc was watching this with an expression of growing disbelief. "So, how do you ladies know the Colonel?" he asked conversationally.

"Colonel, now, is it?" Vanessa grinned.

"We practically helped raise him," said Chloe. "Vanessa and I have both been working for Madame Christmas since we turned 18. Roy would have been about," she thought a moment, "Thirteen, I think."

"He and his aunt lived in the apartment above the bar so he used to do his homework down here and we would help him with it," Vanessa added.

Hughes grinned. "Still had pretty ladies doing your work for you even way back then huh, Roy?"

"Ok, enough about me." Roy cut in. "Tonight's supposed to be about the groom."

Hughes laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Colonel, I'm enjoying myself."

Roy glared at Hughes. This was not at all the way he had intended to spend his evening.

Chloe giggled. "Aw, don't be such a party pooper, Roy!"

"Yeah, Roy, don't be such a party pooper." Havoc couldn't keep the smile out of his voice.

"So, tell us about this 'pretty lady' in in his life," Vanessa said.

"He has a pretty first Lieutenant over there buying my beer, but I haven't heard of any others." Hughes chimed in.

"Oh." Chloe frowned, then shrugged. When Hughes had mentioned a pretty lady helping Roy earlier, she'd thought he meant something different.

While everyone else was talking together, Madame Christmas was behind the bar pouring the drinks. "So how'd you get mixed up in all this?" she asked Riza.

Riza smirked. "Apparently I'm one of the guys tonight. We were all in the war together. They said I never have fun and I should have fun. Plenty of other things I could be doing that would've been more so, no offense." She looked over where Roy was briefly. "You did a fine job raising the Colonel. He's a good man."

Madame Christmas followed her gaze. "I'm glad to hear it. I never planned to have children myself, but when my brother and his wife passed, I couldn't very well leave him to fend for himself. He was handy to have around when he got a bit older. Kept all the customers from trying to get fresh with my girls," she explained. "So, you two work together now?"

Riza nodded. "Yes. Honestly he was a little hopeless when he learned under my late father years ago. I joined because I'm good with guns. I'm a sniper. Not that I'm extremely proud of that. But..." She glanced in Roy's direction. "Someone has to look out for him. None of these idiots could do it right."

Madame Christmas regarded Riza, seeming impressed. "Tell you what, if you ever get tired of working with my nephew, come see me. Pretty, intelligent girl like you would be good to have around." She assumed Riza knew what the real purpose of her establishment was given how long she had known Roy.

Riza smiled. "I'll keep your offer in mind. If you'll excuse me, ma'am, I have to give the groom his first drink." She rolled her eyes and carefully held the mug as she brought it his way. She held her own in her other hand.

Hughes thanked Hawkeye as he took the drink from her.

"I see you've befriended my aunt," Roy said in an even tone. He was standing next to her, but didn't look over at her.

"She seems nice," she said quietly to Roy.

Meanwhile, Eugene, Armstrong, and Brosch were all sitting at a table together, talking. Eugene was discussing his work with automail. Havoc overheard. "The Colonel went to meet a kid recently who's got a couple automail limbs," he said. "Alchemy prodigies, him and his brother both. What were their names, Colonel?"

"Elric. Edward and Alphonse," he answered, glad to have moved on to a new topic.

"To be so young and so talented. It's almost dangerous," said Hughes.

Roy nodded. "It's my understanding that he's planning to take the state alchemist certification next year."

"Hey, sweetheart," drawled a drunk man as he stumbled up to Riza. "What're you doing with these losers? Why don't you join us instead?" He nodded toward one of his friends.

Roy's eyebrow twitched. He wanted to punch the guy, but he was sure she could handle the situation. Hughes had said it once before, Riza was perfectly capable of defending herself. He had to let her.

Riza glowered at the drunk man. "I don't really want to be here at all, least of all with you."

He looked offended and grabbed her upper arm. "Hey-there's no need to be such a-"

The man did not finish his statement. Riza grabbed his arm, flipped him over her and had him in such a position that she could break his arm easily. Her gun was drawn and it was pointed directly between his legs. "Perhaps I didn't make myself very clear."

The guys all watched in shock, as well as Roy's family.

Hughes laughed. "Well, maybe now he'll never lay his hands on another woman again."

The guy whimpered. "I'm sorry! You're hurting me! Please let me go!"

Havoc's jaw dropped. He had seen her flip a guy twice her size before when they were in combat training at the academy(himself included), so he knew she was capable of it. It was just easy to forget how strong she was when it'd been so long since he'd seen her in a hand-to-hand combat situation.

Roy was probably the only one who didn't look surprised. "And that's why you don't get on her bad side." He took a sip of his drink and made no move to get involved.

Riza held the man a minute longer. "Get out." she said calmly. When she let him go, the man scrambled out. His friends were all gaping at her. She glared and they all turned away with fear. She looked back at her friends and sipped her beer quietly.

Madam Christmas laughed heartily. "My, my! You'd definitely fit in here, sweetheart!"

Riza smiled and took her seat next to Roy again.

Havoc grinned. "That's our Hawkeye! All right guys, let's get drinkin!"

"That. Was. Awesome." said Chloe.

"Well, we should get back to work," Vanessa said. "Let us know if you guys need anything!" She and Chloe walked off to check on the other tables.

After a while, most of the guys were a couple drinks in. Roy was still sipping his first one, watching the antics of his friends.

For a man his size, Armstrong got drunk surprisingly quickly. He was in the process of loudly telling everyone how much he loved them and hugging them, even Eugene who he'd just met that night. He made it to Roy and Riza next. "And you two! I don't get to see you much now that you're in the East, but you're still two of my favorite people!" He put an arm around each of them to hug them.

"Alright, big guy," Roy patted Armstrong on the back. "I think it's time we cut you off."

Riza had finished her drink but not had another. She watched everyone get silly and gasped for breath when Armstrong hugged her and Roy. When she was let go, she grabbed her things.

"Major Armstrong, maybe I can take you home? I'm ready to call it a night anyway."

"Aw, you're leaving?" whined a drunk Havoc and Hughes in unison.

Riza rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes. I'll leave you big strong men to it."

Roy got to his feet quickly, sensing an escape route. "Need any help getting him home?"

Riza looked relieved. "Quite possibly. He's very large. If he falls or passes out, I'll need help carrying him."

"Good point." said Armstrong with no regard that it was him they were speaking about.

Hughes laughed. "Well, you two be careful and make sure he's all right! I'll see you tomorrow."

Roy was relieved she went along with it. It was the perfect excuse to get both of them out of there without raising suspicion. He said a quick goodbye to his aunt and the girls, promising to come back to visit before he left Central.

"See you in the morning, Hughes." he said, then to Havoc: "Don't keep him out too late." He joined Armstrong and Riza by the door. "Ready?"

Riza nodded. "Of course. Do you think we should get a taxi? It's a bit long of a walk to his house."

"Sounds like a plan to me." He flagged down a taxi and opened the door. "After you, big guy," he said to Armstrong who obediently got into the car. "M'lady?"

Riza rolled her eyes. She got in the cab. Before long, Armstrong was dropped off. He was fine to get to his room, he said, leaving Riza and Roy in the taxi alone. Riza sighed when it was finally so. "Longest night ever."

He reached over and took her hand. "Sorry you got dragged into that. Havoc wasn't taking no for an answer."

She stroked his hand with her thumb. "I know. He was very persistent when he asked me to come. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. But I wasn't expecting it at all." She smiled.

"What'd you think of Aunt Chris and the girls?" he asked, curiously.

"They were interesting. They seemed very nice. Your aunt offered me a job." She chuckled.

Roy wasn't surprised. His aunt was always looking for promising young women she could train. "Thinking of leaving me to work for her?"

She laughed. "Maybe. At least I would be recognized as a female!"

"I'd miss you if you did. Couldn't say I'd blame you, though." They arrived at their hotel and he reluctantly released her hand. He paid the driver and held the door for her after he got out.

She got out and they entered their hotel and got into the elevator. She looked at him. "Would you like to come back over and pick up where we left off, or are you tired?"

He smirked. "You know I'm never too tired to spend time with you."

She smirked in return. The elevator sounded when they hit their floor. She walked ahead of him, her room key out. She gave him a sly look. "I still have those panties on. Hope that's enough for you now." She unlocked her door and stepped inside swiftly, holding the door open behind her.

As soon as they were both through the door and it closed behind them, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He pulled back after a moment. "That's more than enough," he said in response to her previous remark. "In fact, I'd say we're both wearing far too much clothing at the moment."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: That's all for this chapter. Next chapter will pick up with the Hughes wedding and it will be posted soon.
> 
> Thank you as well to all who have favorited, followed, or reviewed the story so far. It makes our day to get the notifications. -J&C


	17. 1910-1911

Sometime during the night, Roy snuck back over to his room just in case anyone came looking for him in the morning.

When the morning of the wedding came, he put on his suit and prepared to head to the church. Those staying in this hotel were meeting in the lobby to travel over together. As it neared time to go, Roy stepped out of his room and into the hallway just as Riza was doing the same. His breath caught at the sight of her. It wasn't often he got to see her dressed up like this and it was a good thing the hallway was empty except for the two of them, because he was having a hard time taking his eyes off of her.

Riza blushed slightly at his reaction. Her dress was dark red and strapless. There was a slit up her thigh. How else could she pull her gun easily with a moment's notice? She had a black cropped shawl covering her shoulders and upper back. Her hair was up, and she was wearing two inch heels.

"You look handsome in a suit." she said with a smile.

"I'm starting to think maybe you should go work for my aunt just so you can wear stuff like that more often," he said as they headed down the hall. He pressed the button to call the elevator. "How many guns did you manage to hide under there?" He asked this like a normal person would ask someone else how their day was.

"Three." She replied with a mischievous grin. She leaned on him while they still had privacy. "I'm sure it wouldn't be inappropriate for us to dance at least once. If I'm going to be forced to dance, that is."

He smiled and put an arm around her shoulders, resting his chin on top of her head. "I think that can be arranged. Assuming all the other guys aren't lined up to dance with you."

"I highly doubt they will be. You give me far too much credit."

The elevator reached the lobby and he abruptly released her and stepped back. Just in time, too, because when the doors opened, Havoc was revealed already waiting in the lobby. Like Roy, he had donned a suit for the occasion.

"Perfect timing!" he said when he saw them. "Eugene just stepped outside to flag down a taxi for us." He made for the door, pulling a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket as he walked.

"I really hope you're not planning to smoke that in the car," Roy said as he followed him. "Then we're all going to smell like an ashtray at the wedding and somehow I doubt Gracia will appreciate that. As nice as Gracia is, there's no need to give her any reason to turn into bridezilla if someone ruins her special day."

"Somehow I couldn't picture her ever being a bridezilla," said Eugene, picking up on the conversation as they approached. He was waiting on the curb with the taxi he had flagged down. Since there were four of them, three had to sit in the back and one up front with the driver. He held open the front passenger door and looked at Riza. "Miss Hawkeye, I thought you might like to have this seat so you're not crammed in the back with us."

Havoc sighed and put away his cigarette and lighter. "Fine. No smoking till after the wedding."

Riza nodded. "Thank you. How considerate."

Roy thought he would have much rather been crammed into the back next to Riza rather than stuck between Havoc and Eugene, but he didn't get a choice in the matter.

Fortunately, it was a short drive to the church. When they arrived, one of Hughes's cousins was there to greet them. He told Roy where to go meet the rest of the wedding party.

"I'll see you guys at the reception," he said before heading off in the direction he was told.

"Might as well go find seats, I guess," Havoc said to Hawkeye. "Sooner we get this show on the road, the sooner we get to the reception. Here's hoping Gracia has a pretty sister or cousin who's still single."

Riza shook her head at him. "Is that all you ever think about, Havoc?"

Havoc held his arm out for her to take. "Well, what else is there to think about at a wedding? And you look so nice that I must escort you in. Maybe you'll make another girl jealous enough to try to win me over."

Riza just shook her head but took his arm. "You're hopeless."

They found seats toward the front on the groom's side. There were still about ten minutes left till ceremony time and the church was starting to fill with guests. Havoc looked around, scoping out his options.

"So, why don't you ever date?" he asked, genuinely curious. He knew she'd been on the one date with Eugene, but that was months ago and judging by their behavior toward each other, they were only friends.

She shrugged. "I don't have time. Work is busy and that's all I'm really focused on right now."

Havoc nodded. "The Colonel does keep you pretty busy, doesn't he?"

She nodded. "But it's necessary. He's lost without me."

"Still hardly seems fair to you." Havoc shrugged.

After a few more minutes passed, the wedding march began to play as the wedding party entered. First were a few bridesmaids and groomsmen that Havoc didn't know. Next came Mustang and Marie, the best man and maid of honor.

Havoc's jaw dropped when he saw Marie on Roy's arm as they made their way up the aisle to their respective places on either side of the altar. He wondered if she was single.

Riza knew Roy didn't love Marie. She knew he loved her, but that did not make her any happier about the sight he made with her on his arm. Seeing Havoc gawking didn't help either.

Marie whispered to Roy, "Your Lieutenant looks like she wants to kill me!"

Roy glanced over to look. He could see Marie's point. He noticed she was sitting with Havoc. He was still displeased with him over the events of the previous evening and seeing him with Riza didn't help any now that he knew Havoc thought she was hot.

The wedding proceeded without any major incidents, fortunately, and everyone moved to the reception hall while the newlyweds got a few wedding pictures taken. Roy sought out Riza and Havoc after the wedding party photos and found them sitting at a table.

"How is it that you always manage to get so lucky?" Havoc asked him as he sat down, nodding toward Marie at another table.

"Evidently he didn't try very hard." Riza said. "So you should not try and maybe the girls will flock to you, unwanted attention or not." She sipped her champagne.

Roy smirked. He caught the obvious dig at him even if Havoc didn't. He knew that she knew there was no reason for her to ever be jealous of another woman, but thought it was cute that it happened anyway. "I could introduce you to her if you want," he offered to Havoc.

"That's ok. She's way out of my league anyway," Havoc finished off his drink and stood. "Want to dance, Hawkeye?"

Riza knew he wasn't flirting when he asked her this, but maybe Roy didn't. To bring her a little satisfaction of knowing she could make Roy just as jealous as she, she smirked at Havoc after another sip of her drink. "Sure, why not? But I warn you now I'm not very good."

Havoc took her arm and escorted her to the dance floor. "Couldn't be as bad as me." he said. "I apologize in advance for any stepping on your toes I may do."

Roy watched this unfold, one eyebrow raised. As much as he didn't like to see her dancing with someone else, he was grateful to Havoc for asking her. Then it wouldn't look as strange when he asked her later. He got a drink and watched them.

"If you ruin my shoes, I will shoot your toes." She said. Her tone wasn't light but it also wasn't too serious. "Perhaps that can be your motivation to not step on my feet."

Others were on the dance floor already. The song was slower, but it wasn't a sad song. She took his hand and placed her other on his opposite shoulder.

Havoc laughed. "That's fair." He placed his other hand at her waist, but maintained a respectable amount of distance between them as they danced. "I thought you said you weren't good," he said in a mock accusing tone when it became clear that she was a good dancer.

"I had lessons a long time ago. But I'm a little out of practice." she admitted. She thought of Roy, and the night they'd danced at the festival. The night of their first kiss. She smiled a little at the memory.

"Guess it's one of those things you don't forget how to do once you've learned it." Havoc shrugged. "You look great, by the way, but it's weird seeing you in a dress. It's been years since I saw the last one."

Riza chuckled. "Hey, now. I've worn skirts for work before. And I thought we agreed to forget that night with the dress?"

"Sorry. It's still a rare occurrence." Havoc replied.

"Well, thanks for the compliment." She shook her head slightly.

Meanwhile, Marie was passing by and noticed Riza with Havoc, and Roy at the table. "Are you sulking over here watching your lady dance with another, Colonel?"

"Don't know what you're talking about." Roy said with a shrug. He knew exactly what she meant, of course, but couldn't very well admit to it.

Marie smiled. "You could always go cut in."

Roy smiled. He was already planning on it, but figured he'd wait for the next song. "I'm surprised you're not out there dancing," he said to Marie.

"Oh, well no one has asked me. A lady does not ask to dance; she is always approached first!"

Havoc looked around the room while they danced. He saw Roy and Marie talking. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. How does he get that lucky?"

"I'd be honored to give you your first dance of the evening, then," Roy offered his arm. He knew it would look weird if the only girl he danced with was Riza, so he may as well dance with Marie before he cut in on Havoc and Riza. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Marie getting the wrong idea when he asked her. It was just a dance, nothing more.

Marie looked unsure. "I don't know. Will she attack me on the dance floor?"

Riza looked over. She narrowed her eyes briefly, then looked away. "All you have to do is ask a girl to dance and she may say yes. The Colonel surely didn't do anything differently."

Roy chuckled. "No, it's just a dance."

"If you're sure." She seemed uncertain but took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the floor.

Havoc heaved an exaggerated sigh. "I just have terrible luck when it comes to relationships."

Riza sighed. "Maybe if you'd stop chasing big boobs you'd actually find a good one?"

Havoc had the decency to at least look a little embarrassed. He did have a thing for big boobs, though. After a minute, the song ended and he saw Mustang approaching them after escorting Marie back to the edge of the dance floor.

"Mind if I cut in?" Roy asked.

Havoc looked defeated still by Riza's point and nodded. "Sure, of course, Colonel."

Riza waited and took Roy's hand and shoulder after Havoc was out of the way. She was staring at his chest. "Did you enjoy dancing with your wedding escort?"

A crease formed between his brows. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Havoc was out of earshot. Fortunately, the music was so loud that it was doubtful anyone would hear their conversation anyway. "You're not really jealous of Marie, are you? You know it was just a dance." He wanted to lift her face to look at him, but couldn't in such a public setting.

Havoc returned to their table and sat down. He watched Mustang and Hawkeye dancing together. Not for the first time, he noticed how in sync with each other's movements they were. He'd noticed it before in combat situations. They always worked well together without having to say anything to the other.

"I am, but I'm not. Let's call it 'possessive' rather than jealous." She glanced up at him. "I'm sure she won't be the only woman you dance with tonight."

"No, probably not," he conceded. "And I'm sure Havoc isn't the only other man you'll dance with tonight." They must keep up appearances, after all. "But we both know there's only one woman I want to be with tonight."

Havoc continued to watch them. It was fascinating to see how well they danced together. He wondered how long they'd known each other. He'd known Hawkeye longer than Mustang, but he was there when they ran into each other in Ishval and it was obvious they had known each other previously. Up until last night, he had assumed they grew up in the same town or something, but he knew that wasn't the case after meeting Chloe and Vanessa the night before.

"I don't see why I have to dance with anyone else. It's perfectly harmless if co-workers dance with each other more than strangers."

He shrugged. "Don't dance then. It's up to you. I'm sure there will be a lot of men asking you to, though."

"I highly doubt that. I'm not putting out that vibe." She denied it. The song came to an end and, reluctantly, she stepped away from him. "I've had enough dancing for a bit. I think I'll grab a drink and sit."

He frowned slightly. She had no idea how beautiful she was. He wanted to keep dancing with her, but knew it was hardly appropriate for him to keep her to himself all night. "Alright," he nodded. "I'm going to go congratulate the bride and groom, then, I guess."

"On second thought, I'll join you to do the same. I still haven't," she said.

He smiled and walked in that direction. He put his hands in his pockets to remind himself not to try to hold her hand as they walked over to where Hughes and Gracia were talking to their guests. He congratulated them.

"You guys are just in time," said Hughes. "My lovely wife is about to do the bouquet toss in a few minutes. Will you be participating with the other young ladies, Hawkeye?"

Riza fought the urge to roll her eyes at the stupid tradition. "I'll likely sit it out, sir. Congratulations, again."

Hughes laughed. "It's likely if you had to fight off any of the girls you wouldn't hesitate to pull a gun that I'm sure you have under that gorgeous dress of yours."

Riza smirked. "You know me well."

When the bouquet toss did happen, Marie beat the other eager young ladies to it.

Roy participated in the garter toss. As the best man, it was kind of expected since he wasn't married. He didn't even try to catch it, though. Eugene was the lucky winner.

* * *

**1911**

It was summer. The days were long and quite warm that year. Months had passed, and things with Roy and Riza were still the same. They shared quiet moments together when they could in and out of the office. Hayate was a big hit at work. Everyone seemed to mingle more with each other due to his appearance, including Roy. Sometimes Hayate would disappear into his office with him, leaving Riza and the others alone. Riza never minded, because she was happy Roy had a friend keeping him company.

Excitement was making its way through the East City based military units. This year they were due for an interactive training exercise with units from Central and the North. As one might imagine, things were likely to get heated and competitive. But it was a welcome change of pace from their usual police and desk work.

It was the day before the units were set to begin the exercise. They would have to establish their bases, and work with each other to take down the other units from the other areas of the country. It was a practice on military warfare tactics. Riza had a feeling their team would do fine. Falman was basically a walking encyclopedia and seemed to have a thorough knowledge of their history as well as military strategies. Breda didn't seem like he was capable of much on first meeting him, but he was actually very intelligent and logical when it came to battle tactics. Fuery was exceptionally skilled with electronics and radio devices, but otherwise he was a bit meek in temperament. Of course Havoc and Riza were the group's most skilled soldiers when it came to combat skills and strategies. And then there was their Colonel, who of course specialized in leading along with his alchemic abilities. No, she wasn't the least bit worried and had a great amount of confidence in all of her comrades.

Roy wasn't feeling nearly as confident about their chances, not after he'd learned exactly which units his team would be facing.

As if on cue, the door to the office opened and a woman with long blonde hair strode in, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword she wore at her hip. She didn't spare the rest of the unit a second glance as she walked straight across and into Mustang's office.

"Mustang."

"Armstrong."

She made herself comfortable on one of the couches in front of his desk. "Heard you're not allowed to use your alchemy this time around, only standard military tactics. Should make things more interesting, don't you think?"

He snorted. "I don't need alchemy to defeat you."

"Oh, really? I seem to recall kicking your ass at the academy in every class."

Riza and the others could hear them since his door was kept open for the exchange. Who was this woman? They seemed to know each other. She was obviously powerful. Riza caught a glimpse of the ranking on her shoulders. Perhaps Roy knew her from the war? Or the academy?

Havoc squinted his eyes as he appeared to be in thought. "Did he say Armstrong? That's not a common name. Is she related to the Major?" he muttered. "There's no way. She's WAY too hot to be related to him."

Falman looked over at him. "She's General Olivier Armstrong, Major Armstrong's older sister."

Havoc and Breda look surprised. "He has a sister?"

"Two of them." replied Falman.

Riza was also slightly surprised by this news. She had never heard the Major mention that he even had any siblings. She turned her head to look back at the Colonel's office. If both of them had this sort of attitude, she couldn't really blame him for it.

Black Hayate rose from where he had been napping next to Roy's desk and trotted over to investigate the newcomer before settling in at her feet.

Mustang watched this with narrowed eyes. He couldn't believe the dog had betrayed him. "That was over six years ago. There's been a war since then, so I've gotten a lot more practice."

Armstrong shrugged and reached down to scratch Hayate behind the ears. "Your dog?"

"Lieutenant Hawkeye's." Roy nodded toward the rest of his team and they all looked away quickly to conceal the fact that they had been eavesdropping. He sighed and signaled for them all to come in. "General Armstrong, this is my team. Warrant Officer Falman, Sergeant Major Fuery, Second Lieutenants Breda and Havoc, and First Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Armstrong rose from her seat and observed them. "Nice to meet you. Shame I'll have to defeat you all tomorrow."

Riza smirked slightly. "With all due respect, we certainly won't go down without a fight, General."

Olivier smiled at Riza. "I expect nothing less of you, Lieutenant. I've heard of your time in the war with Ishval. I've heard you're quite skilled. It's a waste for you to be here with this mediocre Colonel of yours."

The other men did their best not to snicker.

Roy's eyebrow twitched in mild annoyance. "If you're done insulting me, General, I'd like a chance to consult with my men before tomorrow."

"I wasn't done insulting you, actually, but I suppose it can wait another day." And with that, she swept out of the room.

Roy waited for the sound of her footsteps to recede down the hallway before he turned back to his team. "As you've all probably gathered, General Armstrong will be leading one of the units we are competing against tomorrow. Apparently Grumman and whoever else gets to decide this sort of thing have a sense of humor, because the other unit who will be participating will be led by Major Armstrong from Central." He rolled his eyes. "From what I've been told, they'll ship us all out first thing in the morning to an abandoned town bordering the East and Ishval. It's been empty since the war, but the buildings are mostly still standing, so it will be like combat in a city. Each unit will be assigned a home base and the objective is to defend your base while also conquering the bases of the other teams."

"Soooo basically capture the flag?" Havoc asked with an amused grin. Riza rolled her eyes.

"So, what is our next move, Colonel?" Riza asked Roy as Hayate came to stand by her feet. "Do we need to do any sort of prepping?"

"Glad you asked, Lieutenant." He picked up a file from his desk and removed a stack of papers. "Now that we know where it will be, I've made copies of a map of the area. These maps were made prior to the Ishvalan war, so it's unclear how many of the roads may be blocked by debris now." He passed the papers to Breda who took one and passed it down the line. " I'd like you all to make sure you're familiar with the area before morning so we'll know what the best routes are through the city and the best vantage points for our snipers," he nodded at Havoc and Hawkeye. "Of course, they'll be arming us with rubber bullets for the exercise, so there's not any real danger of anyone being seriously injured, but if any of you are hit, you're out of the competition, so be aware of where they may station their snipers as well. Fuery, I'd like you to pack as much of the field radio equipment as possible so we'll all be able to communicate with each other during the exercise."

"Yes, sir, I'm on it." Fuery saluted and returned to his desk to begin packing.

"Falman, I want you to learn what you can about the other team members we'll be competing against. Their strengths, weaknesses, strategy style. Anything we can use to have a competitive edge in the field."

"Of course, sir." Falman already had a basic knowledge of each person's name and rank, but he set out to do more research into their military history.

"As for the rest of you, we'll go to the training grounds to practice our shooting and hand to hand combat. That includes you," he said, looking at Black Hayate who yipped once to show he understood.

"Are we allowed to use the dog, sir?" Breda asked.

"Well, there's no rule prohibiting it, so I don't see why not. He'll be useful at tracking and at warning us if someone is approaching."

Riza glared at the others before her gaze fell onto Roy. She raised an eyebrow and coughed, waiting.

Roy raised an eyebrow, then sighed when he realized what the problem was. "Fine. Lieutenant Hawkeye, may we use your dog to help defeat Briggs?"

Riza drew her hand up to her head in a salute. "Not a problem, sir. Thank you for asking." She relaxed and looked down at Hayate. "Come on, boy. Let's go practice."

Havoc chuckled and shrugged. "It has been a while. I could use a warm up." He proceeded to leave the room to head for the shooting range with Breda following close behind.

Once the rest of his men had exited, Roy turned to look at Riza. "Sorry, I know I should have asked first before volunteering your dog for military duty. I'm just a little too focused on wanting to wipe that smug smirk off Armstrong's face. She wiped the floor with the unit from the South that they faced off against in last year's training exercises. I'd just like to disrupt her winning streak for once."

"Did you two know each other before Ishval? You seem to have quite a rivalry. Either that, or your idea of flirting is warped." She was teasing. She could tell there was nothing between Roy and General Armstrong. She liked her and her spirit, but clearly she was a sore spot for Roy. "Hayate seemed to like her just fine, though. I don't see how she can be that bad."

"Yes, well, Hayate is a traitor." Roy remarked. "Armstrong was at the academy with Hughes and I. She made it her personal mission to beat me in every single class were in. Even went against me in hand to hand combat. She kicked my ass, too," he admitted. "She's got dreams of becoming the Fuhrer, as well."

Understanding dawned on Riza. "I see. Well, in that case, let's get you to the range so you can at least know how to defend yourself since you can't use your alchemy." She smiled with a teasing glint in her eye.

"I'm not that hopeless without my alchemy, am I?" He laughed, then caught sight of her expression. "Don't answer that, Lieutenant."

* * *

When they actually made it to the range and everyone was lined up to shoot, Roy answered his own question. Riza watched him shoot rather blindly, and only hit the target once out of five shots. She sighed. She knew he could aim with his fire, but holding a weapon and doing the same thing was quite different and it had been years since he'd had to practice his gun marksmanship. Breda and Havoc were in the booths next to him. Breda wasn't doing too bad, and Havoc was giving him pointers here and there. Riza supposed she could do the same for the man she loved.

She came up behind him and tapped his shoulder. "Mind if I show you a few things? You seem to be struggling." Hayate yelped, almost as if in agreement with her, at their feet.

He frowned at Hayate. "Don't start. I'm still not happy with you for cuddling up with the enemy." Then he sighed and looked at Riza. "By all means. You're the expert here."

She looked at him a moment, then crossed her arms. "Show me how you hold your gun and we'll go from there." Hayate yelped again, wagging his tail.

Roy did as instructed. He turned back toward the target and fired three shots, each of which veered to the right.

She shook her head slightly. "You need to relax your elbows. Holding your arms so straight makes it harder to keep your muscles steady." She took a step towards him and gently grabbed his elbows and pushed them down to a slight angle. "Also, make sure you shoot with both eyes open. Your aim is better that way." She was right next to him, her hand over his to make sure he was holding the gun correctly, her other hand on his upper arm. Hayate let out a small bark, affirming Riza's instructions.

Roy waited for Breda to fire off his next round of shots before speaking so that the noise would keep the other two men from hearing. "You know, if you're going to stand that close to me, I'm going to have a hard time concentrating on what I'm supposed to be doing and I'm going to start thinking about what I'd rather be doing."

She smirked, taking a step back after letting her hand linger on his for a moment longer. "Well, if you ever want to be able to do what you would rather do again, you'd better pay attention and keep your mind out of the gutter so you can make it out alive. At least, in a real fight in the real world." She crossed her arms again. "Sir."

He chuckled and turned back to the target, following her advice. Two of his three shots hit the target that time, closer to the center than the one he had previously landed by chance. "Happy now?"

She made sure no one was looking before quickly winking at him. "Much happier than five minutes ago, sir." She slowly turned while unholstering her own personal gun, then immediately set to standing in position and taking aim at the target next to Roy's. Within seconds, she released about ten shots into it, right in the middle. She exhaled when she finished and looked at him. "I make it a point to come out here when I'm not slaving away at the paperwork you refuse to do."

He was about to reply when he looked up and saw Falman and Fuery enter the range. "How'd everything go?"

"I was able to find information on all the competitors and commit it to memory, sir. It seems each team has one state alchemist on it and since you're banned from using alchemy in the training exercise, I'm sure most will view the state alchemists as the weak point on the team. No offense meant, sir."

Havoc chuckled. "I still wouldn't want to go up against Major Armstrong even without his alchemy. All he has to do is hug you and he'd crush every bone in your body."

Roy frowned. It was bad enough he was considered useless on rainy days. He'd have to be sure to prove himself more than capable at handling other aspects of military service. He'd always been a brilliant strategist if nothing else. That was why he enjoyed his chess matches with Grumman so much.

He turned to Fuery. "Sergeant, how did your task go?"

Fuery smiled. "I did as instructed, Colonel. And I came up with a plan that might help us tomorrow. I won't say more for now. You never know who might be listening." He nodded his head at a couple of Briggs soldiers who had just entered the range.

"Excellent work, men. Let's go home and get some rest tonight. I'll see you all bright and early in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We were originally just going to have the wedding in this chapter, but it would have been our shortest chapter yet and it was rather uneventful. The next chapter was ridiculously long, so we decided to kill two birds with one stone by taking the first part of that chapter and putting it here as a preview of what's coming on next. -J&C


	18. 1911

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N This chapter picks up right where the last one left off with the training exercise.

The next morning found the Mustang unit holed up in an abandoned two story building gathered around a map stretched across a box that was acting as a makeshift table. Once the teams were put into position, they were each allowed one hour to fortify their headquarters and make preparations in any way they saw fit and to familiarize themselves with their surroundings. Their hour was almost up with only fifteen minutes remaining.

"If I was in the Central Command Team's position, I'd take this road to get to us. Plenty of coverage and they'd come up on our blindside," Breda said, pointing where he indicated. "They'll know that's what we expect, though, so I think we'd do better to place one of our snipers here where they can see these three roads."

"Right," said Havoc. "I can take that post. It'll be easy to spot the Major from a mile away. Just listen for the sounds of 'passed down the Armstrong family line for generations,' and he'll give himself away." He chuckled. "He might go after the Briggs command center though since he knows his sister better, in which case it'll be Hughes, Brosch, Ross, or some combination thereof to be on the lookout for."

Footsteps sounded on the staircase with ten minutes left to spare and Fuery entered the room, dusty and a little worse for wear. He was beaming from ear to ear as he joined the group. "I did it, sir. I was able to scout out both locations without being noticed and I did a bit more...I planted wiretaps on the windowsills, so we'll be able to listen in."

"Is that allowed?" Breda asked.

All eyes turned to Falman.

"There is no rule that forbids the use of wiretapping devices in this training exercise and we are allowed to use the first hour to prepare in 'any way we see fit,'" he recited.

"Well, there you have it," said Roy. "Good work, Sergeant. Let's see what we can find out, shall we?"

"So Havoc and I will stake out the buildings as we move closer to the other bases to keep watch from above." Riza stated, confirming her mission. The highest risk for them would be to get caught moving between positions. They would have to remain separate so that way if one was caught, both weren't compromised. "As Sergeant Fuery receives information, he can radio us and tell us where they will be heading next so we can avoid them. Our ultimate objective is to conquer the bases while the rest of you work to keep them distracted and lure them out."

Roy looked up at her. "That's correct, Lieutenant. You may leave to take your positions as soon as we tune in to what the others are up to." His gaze came back down to the floor, where Hayate stood beside his owner looking proud and ready for action. He smirked, then turned back to the radio and nodded to Fuery.

Fuery flipped a switch and waited for the static to clear. Once he heard voices, he turned a dial to try to get a stronger signal. Next thing they knew, General Armstrong's voice rang out loud and clear. She was going over her plan with her team from Briggs. Roy smiled as he listened. Now they would know exactly where to find them.

"Havoc, Hawkeye, to your positions! You should see Briggs soldiers coming your way within the half hour. Be on your guard, and rendezvous at the agreed checkpoint." Mustang ordered. Havoc and Riza both stood up straight and saluted him.

"Sir!" They replied, turning to leave. Riza turned back a moment to look and point at Hayate. "You stay with the Colonel for now, Hayate. He'll likely need you more than I will."

Roy sighed. Fuery, Breda, and Falman all smiled knowingly at each other. They all knew that Roy was more high-risk than the rest of them.

Riza and Havoc walked together for a few blocks before splitting up in different directions. Once she reached her designated building for her first position, she turned on her radio and readied her weapon. "Lieutenant Hawkeye, here. First position." she said into the device, then looked at her surroundings. They still had a few minutes before all teams would be allowed to actually begin.

"Roger that, Lieutenant," Fuery replied. "Intel from the Central team radio indicates they're headed to the North command center first, so we may cross paths with them, so be on the lookout, everyone."

Just then, the cannon sounded indicating it was time to begin.

Breda and Falman looked at each other. "Best of luck out there. I'll head West to see if I can intercept Lieutenants Ross and Brosch before they make it to the Northern command center.," said Breda.

Falman nodded. "I'll go around the long way and meet you here to cut off their retreat."

Mustang looked on as his subordinates went about their missions. He felt a sense of pride.

"I'm headed out as well. If Central weakens the North's defenses, it'll be a sitting duck. Hawkeye has eyes on our headquarters, so you'll be safe here by yourself, Sergeant. Just let us know if anything changes."

"Sir, yes, sir." Fuery saluted as the Colonel departed with Black Hayate at his heels and then returned to tinkering with his radio equipment.

Riza kept her eyes peeled, her gun at the ready. Havoc did the same from his current position. They heard the sounds of the cries of other soldiers. Falman spoke over the radio.

"We've taken out Ross and Brosch. They'd already gotten the jump on a few Briggs men." he said.

"Nice, guys. Keep it up. I can see that you're clear for a few more blocks at least. Be careful once you're out of sight." Havoc said in response.

"Once the Colonel reaches his first position, I'll move to second position." Riza said over her radio. She looked toward the path he should be taking. She could see he was with Hayate. She smirked.

She heard more cries in the direction he was heading in, however. "Colonel! I think someone is coming your way!" She took aim with her gun.

Roy turned in the direction the sound had come from. He heard running feet drawing closer, but something was familiar about the footsteps. "Hold fire, Lieutenant."

He stopped and waited, gun ready, as Hayate stood at his heels, hackles raised.

Hughes rounded the corner at a jog and stopped short, gun raised, when he saw he wasn't alone.

The two men stared at each other a moment as recognition set in, then simultaneously lowered their weapons, nodded to each other and continued on their separate paths.

Riza frowned as she relaxed her aim, but she kept looking his way. That was when she caught sight of Hughes. She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Tsh. You're getting soft, Colonel."

Havoc's voice came over the radio, "Fill me in, please."

"He let Lieutenant Colonel Hughes get away." she responded.

"To be fair, he didn't shoot me either," Roy replied. He continued up the road a little ways and then took shelter in a building. "I'm in position one."

"Roger that, Colonel," said Fuery. "Breda, there's a Briggs soldier headed toward your current position, they can't be more than two blocks away by now. Havoc, there's another two Central soldiers that should be approaching your post soon."

"Thank you, Sergeant." said Havoc, suddenly more urgent as he scoped out the area. He caught sight of two Briggs men walking stealthily fairly close to where Falman should have been. He took aim and fired, and they were out. "Piece of cake."

Breda came onto the radio. "Thanks. I got this." He then proceeded to get the drop on the Briggs soldier and take him down swiftly.

Riza smiled. "Good job, everyone. I'm heading to position two. Cover me, Havoc." She made sure the coast was clear and set about moving toward her next designated building. This put her a little closer to Roy. She was primarily his cover. She was able to take one more down on her way.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Briggs home base, General Olivier Armstrong was getting more and more irritated with the incoming news of her men going down at the hands of that idiot Mustang. She was angrily pacing back and forth in their main room, brows furrowed in thought. Her men stood about, looking at her with slight fear in their eyes. Nothing good could happen when she got angry.

"Something isn't right!" She yelled, slamming her hand suddenly onto the table with their equipment.

_Fuery, hearing this sudden loud noise, jumped nearly a foot into the air. This woman was pretty scary, and he wasn't even in the same room as her right now. He continued to listen intently._

Armstrong was silent for a moment. "Hm. It's like they know where we are going to be. They keep taking us by surprise and that's how they're winning." She looked around the room. "Sergeant!"

The soldier stood at attention. "Sir!"

"Has anyone come anywhere near our perimeter this morning? Perhaps looking as though they were snooping around? Did you see anyone other than our men at all?"

_Fuery gulped and suddenly felt rather warm._

"No, sir. I didn't see anyone." he answered.

Olivier put her hand to her chin and looked at the ceiling. "Hmm." She had sent several of them to scout their base's border before the exercise began. Perhaps someone could have made their move when their base was most vulnerable? She then smirked. Who knew that idiot Mustang had it in him?

She began padding under the table before her. "You are all failing me! I expect more out of you, men!" she shouted, moving to the window. Her men stood looking at her in confusion.

"Sir?"

"Don't sass me, Lieutenant!" she yelled. She grinned and pulled free the wire to hold it up for everyone to see, while using her other hand to make the gesture to remain quiet. "Alright, here's what we'll do. Surely they can't get the drop on us this time!"

* * *

Fuery listened intently to the new plan and then relayed it to his team. "Sounds like Briggs is changing tactics and moving their men to new positions. The General herself is entering the field and approaching the western sector. The rest of them are splitting into pairs and taking different routes toward the Central command and our command center."

Mustang smirked. "I'll go after General Armstrong. I'm closest to the western sector anyway. The rest of you worry about keeping her men from getting to our base." He subconsciously reached to tug his glove into place before realizing he wasn't wearing them. No matter. He drew his gun and re-entered the streets, keeping his back close to the buildings as he made his way slowly toward the west. Hayate followed obediently behind him.

"Colonel, I really think you should wait for some back up. If you can give me a few minutes I can come with you. Havoc should be able to move and guard the base from above on his own." Said Riza over the radio.

"We'll track back towards the base, too." Breda said, followed shortly by Falman.

"I'm en route, Lieutenant. If you can make it to the 3rd quadrant, we can rendezvous there, " Roy replied.

"Unfortunately, you're the one who won't make it to the 3rd quadrant, Mustang," Olivier's voice said from behind him as she stepped through the doorway of the building he had just passed and held the blade of her sword to the side of his throat.

He froze for a moment when the cold metal touched the right side of his neck, then pushed his left shoulder back into hers and spun away from her, coming to face her with his gun drawn.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Colonel," said Miles as he stepped out of another building with his gun trained on Roy. Several other Briggs soldiers stepped out into the street, guns all trained on Mustang. He was surrounded.

He considered firing on Armstrong anyway, but he'd only have time to get one shot out and then the rest of her men would be on him.

Hayate, who was standing at his heels and growling at the newcomers, could probably take one out as well, but they were too outnumbered.

He did the best thing he could think to do in the situation. He pulled his earpiece out, dropped it to the ground, and stomped on it. It was too late for him, but he wouldn't let them have access to his team's communication channels so they would still have a chance to win without him.

In the time it had taken him to do that, Miles had closed the distance between them and taken his gun.

Olivier rolled her eyes. "Always so overly dramatic," she sighed. "I might not be able to hear your team's plans, but I can still get a message to them." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the listening device she had found planted on the window of her base. She held it up for him to see. "I found your little bug, Colonel. Can't believe you had it in you." She nodded to Miles, who pulled Roy's arms behind his back and secured them before marching him toward a nearby building.

"You're not going to just shoot me?"

"Oh no, Mustang. We have bigger plans than that. I'm hoping to lure out some of your men to come to your rescue," she explained as she followed them.

Mustang snorted. "They won't bother. It's not like I'm in any real danger here."

"But I'm sure it will be a pride issue for your team having let their fearless leader get captured by the enemy." She flipped a switch on the device, enabling it to pick up sound once more. "Hello, Team Mustang. This is General Armstrong of Briggs, but I'm sure you know that since you're the ones that planted this listening device in my headquarters. Thank you for that. It helped us lure your Colonel out of hiding and we've taken him captive. If you want him back, you'll find him in the abandoned factories in the west. We'll understand if you don't want him back, though."

* * *

Meanwhile, Riza was on her way to the third quadrant as specified by Roy when she suddenly heard a horrible noise in her ear piece. "Colonel? Colonel!" she said urgently into her microphone as she skidded to a stop and entered an empty building for cover.

Fuery's voice came over the radio. "Hey, guys. Looks like Briggs captured the Colonel and the General and her men are splitting up to head to our base. They'll be taking out Central's on their way."

"Where are they keeping him?" asked Riza.

"The abandoned factories in the West." Fuery replied.

"I'll head that way. Everyone else, head to the base and keep watch for the enemy!" Riza ordered. Due to Roy being out of commission, she was currently the next in command.

Havoc was already relocating to his position closer to their home base. "I'm on it, Hawkeye."

Riza checked her surroundings, then started making her way to the west.

* * *

In one of the factories, Roy was currently tied up in a chair next to Hayate, who sat panting with his tail wagging. Olivier was pacing back and forth in front of the Colonel, looking contemplative. "All right, men. What should I put on his head? I have a strong urge to do 'Colonel Idiot'. I'll put it to a vote."

The Briggs soldiers snickered. "We all approve of that, sir."

Armstrong smiled and pulled out a large black marker of sorts from her jacket. "Hold still, Mustang."

"There's no way I'm letting you get away with this!" Roy shouted indignantly. Olivier then pulled out a roll of duct tape, tore off a strip, and placed it over his mouth followed by a small slap against his cheek.

"I'll have none of your squawling, idiot!" she hissed, then set to writing "Colonel Idiot" on his forehead. She smiled as she stepped back, pleased with her work. "Now, I'll leave you to it while I go take over your base and win this thing! Move out!"

"Should we leave someone to guard him, sir?" asked one of her men.

"He's not worth the extra man power. We'll need all of our available men to take down the other teams."

It wasn't long after they left that they encountered an enemy. As Olivier rounded the corner followed by her men, she came face to face with her brother.

"Sister!" exclaimed Major Armstrong.

Olivier didn't hesitate a moment before leveling her gun at him and firing five rubber bullets at his expansive chest in quick succession.

He dramatically stumbled to the side, one hand to his chest. "You've wounded me!" He fell to the ground and proceeded to enact a long and drawn out death.

Olivier rolled her eyes. "Put a fucking shirt on, Alex." She turned to her men. "Miles, take two men to the Central command center. The fool Hughes should be the only one left to guard it."

"Yes, sir."

"The rest of you, with me. We've got some hunting to do."

* * *

Riza managed to avoid coming into contact with Briggs thanks to her keen sense of hearing. She had nearly been overrun until she heard the exchange between the Armstrong siblings. Once the General was gone, she emerged to give Alex a sympathetic pat on the back before continuing on her way to find the Colonel.

She had checked one building before finally finding him and Hayate in another. She stood for a moment before rushing over to them. She reached out and tore the tape from his mouth. She glared at him. "This is what happens when you don't wait for backup!"

Hayate was loosely tied next to Roy and his tail began to wag excitedly when he saw Riza.

Roy winced as she removed the tape and then sighed. "You can lecture me later. Just untie me so we can get back and defend our command center before that woman takes it."

"Everyone else is already on it." She moved to untie Hayate, pet him, then stood back up. "I just came for my dog. He actually listens."

Elsewhere, Havoc was in his post watching the streets and surrounding buildings. He saw a couple Briggs soldiers emerge into view and took aim, but then he noticed more coming from another direction. A shot was fired at him from out of nowhere, although it missed him by a foot. He retreated back from the window. "What the hell is going on?!"

Breda and Falman managed to take down a couple more men, but were shortly shot and eliminated.

Roy's jaw dropped. "What do you mean you just came for the dog? You can't just leave me here."

"I just told you, sir. He listens. Now, I'm going to go try to save our base. Please remain here and keep out of trouble until it's over." She looked down at Hayate. "Come, Hayate." And then she proceeded to run out of the building, her loyal dog at her heels.

She ran into no interference on her way back to base. It was quiet. Too quiet. She cautiously entered their building and went up the stairs. She found a room full of Briggs soldiers, including Olivier, standing around Fuery at his desk. Breda, Falman and Havoc were also present. She looked at them all.

"Sorry, Lieutenant. But they got the drop on me." Fuery apologized.

Riza glared at Havoc. "And just how did they manage to do that, marksman?!"

Havoc held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, they were everywhere all at once. I couldn't keep up with them all, and one of them got me. I did my best."

"Yeah, we were overwhelmed the closer we got to this place." said Breda, looking ashamed.

Riza sighed, thinking of Roy. "That idiot!"

Olivier smirked at her. "I see you have retrieved your dog. Where is your idiot Colonel?"

"I left him there." Riza responded simply. "Although it looks like we would have lost regardless."

Olivier allowed a small chuckle. "I do like you, Lieutenant. If you ever get tired of working with that incompetent idiot Colonel of yours, you should apply to transfer to my crew. We could use someone like you in Briggs."

Riza saluted. "Thank you, General. But I'm afraid I will stay with the Colonel until he asks me to leave."

"I do respect your loyalty. My offer will stand, though." She turned to look at her men. "Another victory for Briggs!" She was answered with cheers.

* * *

That night, Roy sat in a chair in Riza's kitchen as she tried to scrub the permanent marker from his forehead. "I can't believe you left me there."

"It's not like you could have done anything, Roy. We'd already lost." She frowned in concentration as she stared at his forehead. One hand held his hair back and the other scrubbed furiously. "What the hell did she use to write this with?" she muttered in frustration.

"There's no telling with her. She probably had that marker specially formulated just for these types of situations. She's spiteful like that."

"She told me I should ditch you to come work for her." She smirked. She put the rag down and ruffled his hair back into place. "I've done what I can, but it's going to be slightly visible for probably a day or two. I'm sorry."

He frowned. "What is it with all these women always trying to get you to leave me and work for them? What did you tell her?"

"I guess I'm just in pretty high demand with the ladies." She winked at him and sat on his lap. "I told her what I told your Aunt. I'm not leaving you unless you make me go."

He smirked and brought his arms up to encircle her waist. "You know I'd never do that." He leaned in and kissed her

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N The inspiration from this chapter came from a conversation when Ed visits Briggs in Brotherhood and Olivier talks about her dislike of Mustang, but that she likes Hawkeye and Havoc whom she has met at training exercises. We know you probably wanted Riza to go defeat Briggs single handedly like the bad ass she is, but unfortunately we couldn't have that happen to fit the continuity of the series since it's established that Briggs always wins.
> 
> Next chapter will be up soon. We're getting close to catching up with where the main events of the series happen and we can't wait to share our take on that with you in a few more chapters.
> 
> Please R&R- J&C


	19. 1912

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is our longest thus far and is the second of 3 that explore the relationship between members of the Mustang unit. We really wanted to show how they all went from being strangers to developing into the perfect team seen in the series.

**Summer 1912**

It was the hottest day of summer so far and the office was rather slow. Mustang was surprisingly up to date on his paperwork, so he got up and stretched, intending to go get some coffee. As he passed behind Breda's desk, he saw something that caught his attention.

Breda had a newspaper open on his desk, reading reports of a recent rash of murders in the East that were being attributed to a serial killer targeting young women. This wasn't what caught Roy's attention, however. What caught his attention was a photo in the engagement column on the side of the page featuring Marie and Eugene.

"Well, how about that?" he muttered to himself, laughing slightly. "Mind if I borrow that when you're done, Breda?"

"Sure thing, Chief." Breda folded the paper and handed it to him.

Roy flipped back to the page in question as he walked back toward his desk. He stopped at Hawkeye's on the way and set the paper in front of her. "Thought you might find that interesting," he said, indicating the engagement announcement.

Riza looked up from her work and looked at the paper. "A serial killer, huh? That's never good. Should we look into this, Colonel? Would you like me to make any calls?" She didn't even notice the engagement announcement.

He was clearly caught off guard by this response. "Wait, what?" He snatched the paper back and began to skim over the article.

"Serial killer?" Havoc repeated, sitting up in his chair abruptly. As he had previously been leaning back in it on only two legs, it wobbled a bit dangerously but didn't topple over. He got up and came to read over Mustang's shoulder.

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that." said Fuery. "They say he's been targeting only young women in the area."

Riza gave him a look. "Are you saying you didn't even see it? It's the headline on the front page. What else were you talking about?"

"Doesn't matter," he said, waving a hand dismissively as he continued to read.

At this point, Falman returned from filing reports and saw Mustang and Havoc clustered around Hawkeye's desk, reading a newspaper while Fuery and Breda looked on. "What did I miss?"

"Serial killer." Breda filled him in.

"Does everyone have to be in my personal space for this?" Riza muttered. "Colonel, what would you like us to do? Are we looking into it?"

Havoc said, "I think we should."

The other men nodded in agreement.

"Yes, let's see what we can find out and meet back here in an hour." Roy decided.

"Here as in my particular desk? Can we meet at someone else's desk?" Riza asked. She did not like having everyone cluttered around her. She set to pulling up a list of resource phone numbers to start calling to get intel.

"Here as in the office in general." Mustang clarified for her.

"Yes, sir!"

The men broke apart from each other. Some returned to their desks to do the same as Riza, others left the office. Mustang went to pay a visit to General Grumman.

* * *

An hour later, they all gathered back at the office and were sharing their findings.

"It seems like he's been targeting a pretty specific area of town," Havoc said. "Should be fairly simple to track his movements and predict where he may be next."

"I've received similar information. Also, the girls were typically wearing bright colors. Dresses and such. The girls were alone each time. Only witnesses who ever saw them last was typically a relative or an employee in a shop close by. The area was a common shortcut from this part of town to this one." Riza explained, taking out a map to point at the areas of which she spoke.

"Sounds like we're gonna have to find a way to lure this creep out so we can snag him," said Havoc.

Roy nodded. "I'm open to suggestions."

They all fell silent, considering for a moment, before the men's eyes started to shift to Hawkeye.

No one had a chance to even voice the idea before Mustang cut in "Absolutely not. We are not going to use the Lieutenant as bait to lure him out."

Havoc shrugged. "I guess we could get a wig and dress for Falman."

"All due respect, but Fuery would make a prettier girl than I would," said the older man.

"Hey! I'm right here." said Fuery.

Riza shook her head. "No disrespect, but I would be the obvious choice. This kind of killer would likely be able to tell if it's a woman or man from a distance. He has seen enough women to know." She looked at Roy, determination in her eyes. "We can set up eyes to cover the area, up top and on the ground. I can have my weapon concealed. Colonel, this should be a successful mission if we do this right."

"No, I'm not going to have any of you putting yourselves at risk," Mustang said in a tone that brooked no argument. He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and walked toward the door. "I'll be out of the office the rest of the day. We can discuss this more tomorrow. Don't do anything stupid." He left.

"Where's he going?" Falman wondered aloud.

"Probably to go visit one of his girlfriends or something," Havoc shrugged.

Breda glanced around at the others. "So, we're still doing it anyway, right?"

Riza looked at Breda. "Of course. There was no reason one of us couldn't handle one serial killer that leaves such an obvious trail."

"But, the Colonel ordered us not to . . . " Fuery hesitated.

"Technically, what he said was 'don't do anything stupid'. And even without him, there's still five of us and only one of the serial killer. We can have two men above and two on the ground for surveillance. Should be simple if he takes the bait." Falman said.

"Right. So, everyone get what you need and we'll meet here." Havoc pointed to a spot on the map.

* * *

A few hours later, they were all in position at the meet site. Riza wore her hair down and a bright pink dress with sandals. Her expression was one of feigned innocence. She was walking down the street alone.

Havoc and Fuery were on a nearby rooftop, lying flat on their stomachs with sniper rifles ready.

Breda and Falman were on street level in civilian wear so as not to attract too much attention.

"What if he doesn't take the bait?" Fuery asked.

Havoc shrugged. He was about to say they'd figure something out when he caught motion in his peripheral vision. He looked just in time to see Falman go down, knocked out from behind by a man he didn't recognize. He was on his feet instantly when he saw Breda engaged in combat with the assailant. "That's our guy. Stay here and watch her, I'm going down," he said quickly to Fuery as he departed.

Hawkeye could hear what was going on in her ear piece. "Everything alright? You find him?"

"Alas, my girl, they have not. But I've found you!" She heard a man's voice, and the cloth was over her mouth and nose before she could draw her gun. The last thing she thought before passing out was how mad Roy would be. But she knew he'd come for her.

Fuery witnessed Hawkeye's abduction. He tried to get a good shot at the man, but couldn't get a clear line without risking hitting her instead. He watched in horror as the man disappeared around the corner with her, then ran down the stairs to street level just in time to see Breda and Havoc handcuffing the first man.

"We got him." Havoc was looking pleased with himself until he saw Fuery's panicked expression. "What happened?" he demanded.

Fuery was out of breath from his run down the stairs. "There was...two of them...He took her." he managed to get out.

Havoc looked equally panicked. "Did you see where they went?"

Fuery pointed in the direction, still trying to catch his breath.

"Ok, here's what we do. Breda, take care of Falman and take this one in. Fuery and I will go after the other one and radio for backup."

"Should we call the Colonel? He'll be furious if anything happens to her." said Falman.

Havoc briefly looked terrified. "Go ahead. You do that while we call for backup!" He and Fuery raced in the direction Riza was taken.

* * *

Meanwhile, Riza awoke in a darkly lit, unfamiliar place. She looked around in a daze. Her hands and feet were bound. She saw her gun several feet away. So, they'd already been under her skirt?

There were two. No wonder things were so fast. No wonder they could abduct girls without being too obvious. Riza snarled. That was the only way they'd caught her off guard.

Riza struggled to loosen her bonds enough to wiggle out. She could feel her skin getting raw. She continued despite the pain. She had felt worse before and survived, briefly thinking of Herring. She froze when she heard a snicker in the darkness. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"My, you're a brave one. All the other girls screamed and cried and begged to be let go." The man remained hidden.

Riza's eyes were narrowed and darting around her in all directions. She could sense he was near. But she couldn't see him. "I know begging and crying will do no good for someone who's done this so many times. What's your angle?"

* * *

Falman made the call to Mustang after the MPs arrived to take the first man into custody. Unfortunately, (or perhaps fortunately for Falman who dreaded his reaction), the Colonel didn't answer.

Mustang had spent the afternoon walking around town, considering possible hideouts the serial killer was using. There was never much blood where the girls were found, indicating that they were murdered elsewhere before being dumped. It would be difficult to move a body far without being noticed, so he had narrowed the search radius down to a smaller area of the town that was close to all the crime scenes.

The streets were quiet as he walked along, checking into empty buildings that could be used. It was a commercial district and many of the workers had already gone home for the evening, so he was undisturbed in his investigation until he began to hear familiar voices and running footsteps.

"I think he went this way!"

"Dispatch is sending backup."

Mustang paused outside of the abandoned factory he was about to inspect when he heard Fuery and Havoc. He looked in the direction their voices came from and waited for them to come into sight. "What are you two doing?"

Havoc and Fuery both froze at the sound of his voice and stood at attention. Havoc spoke first.

"Colonel, we tried to apprehend the suspect who's been taking all the women. Lieutenant Hawkeye lured him out so we could catch him. Little did we know, he had an accomplice. She has been taken. We're currently following the trail we believe the accomplice has taken. We've called for backup." Havoc gulped after he was finished.

Roy felt his heart drop as their words sunk in. He was simultaneously furious with them for carrying on with their plan in his absence and allowing this to happen, and terrified of what would happen to Riza if they didn't get to her soon. He had seen the photos of the bodies that had been found and he couldn't help but imagine her in their place.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. He'd be no use to anyone if he lost control in a situation like this. "They came this way?"

"Yes, sir."

There were only two buildings on his list that would be in this direction: the one he was about to inspect when they arrived and one other.

"We can't afford to waste time. Radio the backup squad and send half of them to the old warehouse on 12th street and have the others come here." Mustang commanded.

Fuery grabbed the radio and did as instructed.

"Alright, we're going in."

"But, shouldn't we wait for backup to arrive?" This from Havoc.

Roy was already inspecting the boarded-up windows and doors of the old factory, searching for signs of recent entry. "How would you feel if something happened to the Lieutenant and we were too late to save her because we stood out here waiting for backup?" He got fed up with looking for signs of entry and pulled his ignition gloves from his pocket. He was wearing civilian clothes to attract less notice but had them with him just in case. He pulled them on. "Stand back." He blasted a hole in a boarded-up door for them to enter.

Riza heard an explosion. A smile formed on her face. She looked confidently into the darkness. "You're in trouble now. My Colonel is a state alchemist, and he can take you out with but a snap of his fingers."

A sword came out of nowhere and landed in the wall by her head. A few wisps of hair fell to the floor. She went still as a statue. Sweat beads gathered at her brow.

"I want you screaming. I want you afraid!"

A slice appeared on her cheek. It stung but it wasn't deep. She looked up. He was a large man, with a deranged look on his face in the dim lighting. When they made eye contact he punched her so hard she was thrown to the ground.

"You're going to be in pieces. Perhaps your beloved Colonel can clean your mess up with but a snap of his fingers!" Another slice, this time across her shoulder. Blood began to soak her dress and run down her arm.

She just glared wordlessly.

"Scream! Cry out! Be afraid! You are going to die-just accept it!" He shouted, slicing and cutting at her with his other sword.

Riza just took it, refusing to give him the satisfaction. She eyeballed where her gun lay several feet away. If she could just roll and get to it, she could shoot him backwards with her hands tied. She knew she could.

But when she rolled, he kicked her ribs and her breath caught in pain. She couldn't move anymore.

The sounds echoed down the empty hallways of the building and the three men set off at a run toward the noise. Roy could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

When they arrived on the scene, his eyes quickly took in Riza lying motionless on the ground with blood on her dress and the man standing over her.

One snap and flames appeared on the killer's hand, forcing him to drop the sword. "Step away from my Lieutenant." His voice was cold and carefully modulated. Another snap and an explosion forced the man backwards away from Riza and his sword. "Fuery!"

The Sargeant sprang into action, rushing to her side. "Hawkeye!" He dropped to his knees next to her to check her vitals.

Havoc remained a few feet behind Roy with his gun drawn and aimed at the man, ready to provide cover fire if he needed to.

"Is she alright?" Roy demanded. He glanced briefly to the side where Fuery was, but stayed focused on his opponent.

He noticed the ropes around her wrists and ankles and his face contorted in anger. Years of experience manipulating the flame alchemy have given him precision control over the fire and he used it now to create a small flame that burned on the ropes for just a few seconds, long enough for them to snap and fall open. It was easier to ensure the flames never touched her since she was lying so still.

Fuery could feel the pulse. He looked back at Roy. "She's all right, Colonel. Just a little beaten up."

"Fuery." Riza whispered. "I think I have a broken rib. He kicked me." She brought her now free arms up to her chest and crossed them. "I'll have to be carried so I don't move anything out of place. Use pieces of my dress to bind the cuts. There are only a couple deep ones."

Fuery was surprised she could remain so calm. But he did as she said. "Colonel, she said she has broken ribs. We'll need a stretcher."

The evil man laughed. "She was so much fun to play with! She didn't even cry or scream or anything! So brave! She certainly sang your praises, state alchemist! Too bad you got here so soon. I wanted her in pieces for your arrival."

Roy wanted to incinerate the bastard on the spot, but he maintained his control. He could hear the backup squad entering the building and nodded for Havoc to arrest the man. He kept his watch on the killer as Havoc holstered his gun and cuffed the man and they took him into custody. Only then did he drop his stance and join Fuery.

His expression softened when he looked at Riza. "Hey. How're you feeling?" He could hear Havoc in the background radioing for paramedics.

She looked up at him, her brave face still intact. "I'm all right. I'm sorry, Colonel. There was only supposed to be one of them. Their pattern reminds me of the Slicer Brothers."

Fuery watched the exchange, looking curious and remorseful at the same time. "I remember them. I guess these guys were copycat killers."

"They're sending the medical crew," Havoc informed them after the killer was escorted away. He was sure to stay out of arm's reach of Mustang, though the latter's alchemical abilities made it a moot point.

Roy shook his head slightly. "I think you're right. And don't apologize. You're the one who was nearly killed. If we hadn't gotten here when we did . . . " He couldn't bring himself to complete the sentence. He wanted to reach out and touch her to reassure himself she was still ok, but couldn't. He wanted to tell her how scared he was, but it would have to wait. "Do you want to be taken to the military hospital or should we call Dr. Knox to come treat you at home?"

"I'd rather be at home in my own bed," she said. She wanted to be home so they could speak in private. And with her in her present condition, it wouldn't be strange for him to be visiting her considering how closely they worked together. "Colonel, I promise I'm all right. I would've been much worse if you hadn't come when you did. We should've waited for your orders." She then fainted from the pain.

Both Havoc and Fuery looked at each other with panicked expressions when she suddenly lost consciousness.

Roy frowned. He considered trying to wake her up, but she showed no signs of a concussion and it would be kinder to let her sleep through the pain while she could.

He sat back on his heels, arms folded over his chest as he waited for the medical crew.

Fuery took one look at Mustang's face and moved to stand with Havoc. "We're so dead," he said quietly to the other man.

"Yep. Been writing my eulogy in my head this whole time." Havoc responded quietly.

The medical crew arrived shortly and carefully lifted Riza to put her on the stretcher. She woke from the movement and the pain in her ribs, gasping. She clenched her teeth and tried to steady her breathing.

"Don't worry, Lieutenant. We have pretty good pain pills for broken ribs," said one of the crew, trying to keep her spirits high.

Riza nodded. "Right." She whispered.

"Would you like us to call anyone for you? A friend or family member?" one of the crew asked as they walked toward the ambulance.

Mustang had been walking along behind the medical crew and spoke up. "I'm her emergency contact. She doesn't have any family and I'm her superior officer." he explained.

Havoc and Fuery were also walking behind the medical crew, trying to draw as little notice from said superior officer as possible. They exchanged a look. This was news to them.

Riza tried to breathe lightly so her ribs didn't ache as bad. They got her to the car downstairs. She held her breath as she was jostled slightly before being set down.

Havoc and Fuery watched her with guilty looks. They knew Hawkeye was strong, but any human would be having a hard time when ribs were bruised or broken. She may be in bed for a while.

"All right, Colonel. We'll have the doctor meet us at her address. Are you riding along or taking your own vehicle?" one of the paramedics asked Roy.

"What can we do, sir?" asked Havoc. He and Fuery stood at attention, awaiting orders.

"I'll ride along." Roy pulled his keys from his pocket and tossed them to Havoc, who caught them a bit clumsily. "I left my car on 6th street. Drive it back to the office and you can leave it there, then go home for the night. I'm going to stay with the Lieutenant until Dr. Knox gets there."

"Sir!" They both saluted and headed toward where he left his vehicle, eager to put as much distance between themselves and the Colonel as possible before he changed his mind. They knew they were going to get it the next day when he wasn't in the middle of dealing with a wounded subordinate and had no desire to speed the process along.

The vehicle got them to Riza's place quickly. They carried her up on the stretcher. The doctor was already there waiting to see her.

Roy thanked the medics before they left. He waited in the hallway while Dr. Knox was examining her to give them some privacy. He stood with his back to the wall, arms folded over his chest. He was already thinking about what he would like to do to his subordinates for putting her in that kind of danger. He knew he'd never actually do it, but it was nice to think about.

Dr. Knox came out to join Roy in the hallway. "Well, she's going to be fine. The cuts weren't too deep; they should heal quickly if they are kept clean and bandaged until new scar tissue forms. One of her ribs is badly bruised, however. She's going to need to stay in bed for at least a week. She wasn't too happy about that part. I've prescribed some strong pain medication. Don't let her exceed the dose, no matter how bad the pain. They can be addicting. I've left her my number if anything happens."

The crease between Roy's brows eased somewhat when he heard she was going to be fine. He had been dreading hearing that there was more internal damage than they thought or that her wounds were deeper than first expected. "Thank you. I appreciate you coming out to check on her."

"Anytime," Knox replied. "I'd rather go out of my way to come treat her here than have to do another autopsy on a young woman killed by that maniac. Call if you need anything." he said as he departed.

Roy watched him go, then knocked softly on Riza's door before poking his head in.

Riza lay in her bed with bandages around two parts of her arms, one on her cheek, and a few more around her back and mid-section. She glared up at the ceiling. What the hell was she gonna do sitting in bed for a week?

"Feeling up to having a visitor?"

"Sure. But I'm grumpy, just to warn you." She replied, still glaring at her ceiling.

"Knox told me you'll be on bed rest for a week. Can't imagine you took that very well," he said as he shut the door behind him and grabbed a chair which he pulled over to her bedside. "I'd say I'm a bit 'grumpy' myself. What on earth were you thinking, trying to go after a serial killer without me?" He didn't raise his voice. He'd save that for the other four idiots at work the next day.

She cut him a look. "I was thinking that it was one man. We would've succeeded in normal circumstances and you know it. I'm a trained sniper and I know how to defend myself. We had eyes above and on the ground, other than mine. It should've been so easy it could be considered child's play." She closed her eyes. "We were wrong, obviously. I apologize for my insubordination."

"You know I can't stay mad at you for long. Especially when you're in this condition." He sighed and sank into the chair, running a hand through his hair. "You have no idea how terrified I was when I found out you'd been taken. I've seen the pictures of what those bastards did to those girls. And then when I saw you on the ground with him standing over you, I just . . . " He had to take a deep breath to steady himself. "Don't ever scare me like that again. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner."

She reached out a hand for him to take and smiled. "I'll do my best."

He smiled and took her hand, raising it to his lips. "Don't think the others are getting off so easy. It was a stupid thing to do, putting you in danger like that."

"Roy, it's not like they forced me. It was just as much my idea as it was theirs."

"They weren't the ones who got kidnapped and nearly killed by a deranged psychopath. And, besides, I'll feel better if I can at least yell at someone." He admitted. "I wanted to incinerate that bastard for even thinking about touching you."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. Death would have been way too much a luxury for someone like him. He goaded me. He wanted me to beg for mercy. He was insane." She smirked. "I never gave him the satisfaction, though. Not a single cry or tear or plea. There was no use. Not with someone like that."

His mouth was set in a hard line as he listened to her talk about her experience. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "It's lucky I was there when Havoc and Fuery were chasing after the guy." He sighed. "Would you like me stay with you tonight? I can make myself a bed on the floor so I'm here if you need anything." This was part of the reason he had Havoc and Fuery take his car back to the office instead of bringing it here, so it wouldn't be parked in front of her apartment overnight if he did stay.

"I wouldn't mind if you stayed. But I need you to know something, Roy." She gripped his hand. She could feel her medication kicking in, and it was as though a wave of contentment washed over her entire body. "I wasn't afraid. What I went through wasn't terrifying to me. I knew you'd come. If I couldn't save myself, then you would do it for me. And you did. I'm all right because of that."

He watched her tenderly. "You know I'll always come for you." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers, careful not to accidentally touch any of her injuries.

She sighed and returned his kiss. It had felt like a lifetime since their last one. But it made these kisses so much better, more special.

* * *

The next morning, Fuery, Havoc, Breda, and Falman all arrived early. They were clustered nervously around their desks as Fuery and Havoc filled the other two in on what happened after they split up.

"He's going to kill us." Breda said.

Fuery nodded. "May as well start packing our things."

They all fell silent as Roy entered the room, an unreadable expression on his face. He walked past them to his desk, not even looking at them, to set down his reports.

He had the night to cool off and waking up at Riza's place certainly put him in a better mood, even if his back was sore from sleeping on the floor, but he was still enjoying making them squirm.

"Why isn't he yelling?" Havoc asked Falman out of the corner of his mouth. Silent Mustang was the scariest of them all. "I'd feel better if he would yell."

Breda and the others looked at him, equally troubled and confused. Fuery was the brave one.

"Sir?" He squeaked.

"Yes, Sergeant?" Roy turned to face them, eyebrow raised.

The men exchanged a nervous look.

"Um, aren't you mad at us?" Fuery continued, gulping.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" he asked. "It's not like any of you disobeyed my orders, carried out a mission without me, and got Lieutenant Hawkeye kidnapped and nearly killed by a serial killer or anything like that."

Fuery gulped some more. Havoc and the others followed suit.

"We're sorry, Colonel. How is Hawkeye?" Asked Breda.

"She's in a lot of pain." Mustang replied. "Her ribs are badly bruised and she's been cut up pretty bad. She'll be on bed rest for at least a week to recover."

The guilty looks became more so.

"Damn. I bet she just loves that." Said Havoc. They all knew how Hawkeye was when it came to working.

Fuery sighed. "We accept whatever form of punishment you deem fit, sir." So brave.

"Well it hardly seems fair for the Lieutenant's work to pile up while she's gone, so we'll start with you lot picking up her casework on top of your own for the duration of her recovery."

Falman blinked. "That's it? You're not going to report us for insubordination?"

"Would you like me to reconsider?"

"No, sir!" squealed Fuery. He made a beeline for Riza's desk and started looking at the stack of paperwork.

Havoc sighed. He loved paperwork as much as Roy did, which was not at all.

* * *

A week passed. Riza was scheduled to return to work the next day so long as Dr. Knox cleared her to return for duty. This put Roy in a significantly better mood than usual as he left the office that day. He was supposed to stop by her apartment on his way home to find out what the doctor said when he visited her earlier.

He made his way up the stairs to her apartment, carrying a bag of takeout food he had stopped to retrieve on his way. He tucked it under one arm and used the other hand to knock on her door.

Riza groaned a bit as she got up. She was much better but she would be sore for a while. The doctor gave her clearance but she shouldn't do anything strenuous for at least a couple more weeks. She moved to the door and answered it. She smiled when she saw who it was.

Roy smiled. He stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "How are your ribs feeling?" he asked as he carried the bag to her kitchen table and began to unpack it.

Her smile faltered slightly. She followed him over to the table. "They're better. I can come back to work but I can't do much. Nothing too physical, anyway. I'm still sore. But it doesn't hurt to breathe now, so that's good. All the gashes have pretty much healed."

"You can always take a few extra days to recover at home if you need to," he said, though he was looking forward to having her back in the office. It just seemed so much more empty without her there. "Lord knows you have enough sick days and vacation time stockpiled to last you awhile."

"That's all well and good but I'm gonna go crazy if I have to stay in bed anymore." She chuckled and sat down on the couch.

Hayate, who had been sleeping in the corner prior to Roy's arrival, stood and stretched, then trotted over expectantly.

Roy smirked and retrieved a dog bone from inside the bag and dropped it down to the dog. He grabbed both boxes of takeout and carried them to her living room where he joined her on the couch.

"You are spoiling him." Riza warned, but she was smiling. She watched as Hayate began chewing happily on his new treat, his tail wagging nonstop.

"I have to make sure I stay in his good graces, or he may stop allowing me through the door," he teased. "I brought you something, too." He pushed one of the takeout boxes toward her.

"Well, thank you. I was starting to get hungry." She gently moved to open her box and start eating. "So, have you been lost without me?" She smirked at him.

He smirked and scooted closer to her. "We've all been lost without you there. Nothing gets done right," he joked as he wrapped his arm around her, careful not to hug her too tightly due to her ribs. In truth, the office was in better shape than it had been in a long time because the men were afraid of what would happen to them if it wasn't when she returned.

"You put the fear of God in them, didn't you?" She leaned against him slightly as she took another bite. "I imagine they were terrified."

He sniffed indignantly as he continued eating his own food. "I don't know what you're talking about. I would never do such a thing."

"So don't believe you." She gave him a look.

He smirked. "You know me too well. I promise I wasn't that awful to them, just scared them a little bit."

"Mmhm. Are they cleaning all the time? You have always been pretty bad at doing that."

He couldn't help but smile as he recalled the day they met when he had offered to help her with her chores and had only made it worse. "I guess you'll just have to find out when you come in tomorrow." He paused. "Are you absolutely sure you're ready to come back? As much as I'm ready to have you back at work, I don't want you straining yourself too much."

She sighed. "I highly doubt filing paperwork and making calls is going to be too strenuous. I'll be fine. I need this."

"Good. I really have missed having you there." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

She returned his kiss happily. "I've missed you too. Very much." She whispered between kisses.

He gently ran a hand through her hair as he kissed her. He wanted to stay like this with her forever. He reluctantly broke the kiss. "Your hair's getting longer again," he remarked. "What made you decide to grow it back out?"

She smiled up at him. "I just thought it looked really good on that Winry girl we met back in Risembool, so I wanted to do it again," she admitted.

"It looks good. Reminds me of what you looked like when we first met." He smiled, toying with a strand that had fallen over her shoulder.

Her eyes closed. "That seems like forever ago, sometimes. The war has me feeling at least ten years older than I am."

"I know exactly what you mean," he sighed, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. He pressed his lips to hers again briefly. "I should go," he said as he pulled back even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

She looked at him wistfully. She wished then, more than ever, that they could go back in time and change things. Maybe now they would be happy. Maybe even married. They would've had so much time together. Her chest ached with the weight of her regret. She nodded. "Alright. I guess I'll be seeing you at work tomorrow. Thank you for the food."

He smiled. "Anytime." He kissed her one more time before he departed.

* * *

The men all arrived early to the office the next morning. Hawkeye's desk was cleared off except for a large flower arrangement in the center. The card attached read: "We're sorry our stupidity almost got you killed" and was signed by Havoc, Breda, Fuery, and Falman.

Mustang was seated at his own desk, doing his best not to laugh at them as they anxiously hovered around their desks waiting for her.

When Riza walked in, she didn't notice anything at first. She looked around at everyone then her eyes fell on the flowers. A weird look crossed her face. "What the . . . ?" She mumbled as she approached it. She read the card and rolled her eyes, though she appeared slightly amused. "Really, guys? It wasn't your fault, no more than mine." She eased into her chair slowly and sniffed a flower.

Fuery hurried forward with a stack of files for her. "We've already completed everything for you, they just need your signature," he explained as he set them on her desk.

Mustang smirked, watching all this. "Welcome back, Lieutenant."

She tried not to laugh. "Thank you. Hopefully you guys left some work for me to do today.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N This chapter is one of the ones from our original draft in 2015. At the time, it was written with the Slicer Brothers as the actual culprit because we thought it would be a cool tie in with the series. When we went back and looked at the timelines this year, though, we realized that because they were caught in Central while they were still in the East, we couldn't make that work, so we went back and swapped this to a copycat killer.
> 
> Our next chapter will be up this week and it's one of our favorites in the story, so we hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Thank you! -J&C


	20. 1913

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter wasn't in our original draft of this story, but now we both agree that it's one of our favorite chapters. We hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it!

**1913**

"The Cully mansion is on 12th Street," Havoc said, pointing to a spot on the map.

The Mustang unit was gathered around in the living room area of a West City safehouse. They'd been invited by the western officials to help catch a suspected arms smuggler, a man by the name of Scott Cully. Over the course of the last week, the members of the team had arrived one by one to avoid notice, beginning with Havoc who had arrived on Monday. It was now Friday and the last member of the team, Fuery, had arrived by train that afternoon.

Each had traveled in civilian clothes, leaving no trace that they were associated with the military as it would defeat the purpose of the western forces inviting them there for an undercover mission.

"Any suspicious activity?" Mustang asked.

"Besides the fact that the place is way too nice for someone who supposedly works in real estate?" Havoc chuckled. "I never saw any weapons entering or leaving the building, but you don't need guards for a civilian residence and I definitely saw my fair share of those."

Falman nodded. "That matches my research as well. The Cully family didn't start making a name for themselves until a few years ago when they moved into that mansion from somewhere in the east. No one knows where they came from and I couldn't find any record of a man named Cully living in the East, so it's most likely an alias."

"Right, that's what the waitresses at the cafe were saying this week," said Havoc. "They came out of nowhere and had that mansion built. Cully's story is that he inherited a lot of money from a distant relative and decided to relocate to the west, but it doesn't check out."

Breda snorted. "Surprised you even got any surveillance work done if you were too busy talking to the waitresses."

"Hey, they had plenty of gossip they were willing to share on the man. Two birds, one stone. They're all excited about this soiree he's throwing tomorrow night for his daughter's 18th birthday. Supposedly anyone who's anyone will be there."

"Sounds like that's our best chance to get close to him, then," said Roy.

"I thought so as well," Havoc agreed. "I've already procured an invitation." He pulled it out and set it on the map. "The western officials had it forged with a fake name for a man and a woman, a Mr. and Mrs. Caverly." he explained. "They thought it would be less suspicious to have two of us go in as an undercover couple than to have multiple individual invitations forged. So that means Lt. Hawkeye will be one of the ones going in...unless we want to put Fuery in a dress."

"I'll have to run the radio equipment," the sergeant interjected quickly.

"Right. So that just means we need to decide who's going to be Mr. Caverly."

"I look old enough to be her father," said Falman.

"No one would believe she'd go for someone like me," said Breda.

Havoc smirked. "Well, I guess I could always do it..." He looked over at Riza.

Riza had been listening to the discussion the entire time in a corner of the room, her arms crossed over her chest. Without hesitation she replied, "Not gonna happen. I'm not getting lovey-dovey with a smoker. We've had this discussion before."

Havoc groaned. "That's right. I forgot."

"That just leaves…" Fuery began as all eyes started to move toward Roy who was leaning against a wall opposite them.

The man in question shrugged and pushed away from the wall. "I'll do it. If the Lieutenant doesn't object."

Riza raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't look like there are any other options, sir."

"That's true." said Falman, nodding. "You two would be the most convincing appearance-wise."

"That settles it, then," said Fuery. "The Colonel and Lieutenant will go in as Mr. and Mrs. Caverly wearing wiretaps so we can hear if you need backup. The rest of us will set up a stakeout as near to the Cully mansion as we can get without arousing suspicion."

"I suppose that means I should go find myself something to wear," said Roy. "We'll rendezvous here again tomorrow at 1600." He looked at Riza. "Would you like a ride back to your hotel, Mrs. Caverly?" he asked with a hint of a smirk.

Each of the team members had made separate living arrangements for the duration of their stay. Havoc and Breda were posing as cousins living in this safe house while Falman stayed alone in another and Fuery, Mustang, and Hawkeye all had reservations in separate hotels, though Riza's hotel was the closest to Roy's. Since he frequently drove her home after work in the East due to their apartments being in close proximity, this didn't raise any eyebrows with the rest of the team.

"Sure, if you don't mind." She rolled her eyes but secretly she wanted to laugh. If only they all knew. They were giving them exactly what they wanted. A night of freedom to be themselves with each other out in the open. She followed him out after saying goodbye to the others. "I'll need to see if I can come up with something nice to wear, too. I hardly own any dresses."

They approached his car and she got in the passenger seat. A small smile was on her face.

He got in and started the car. "We could always stop by a formal wear shop on our way. Since our cover is a married couple, it will actually make our cover stronger to be seen out together tonight as well," he smirked.

She chuckled. "That's true. I could use your help picking something out anyway. I'm not very good with girly, dressy things."

"I think I can help you there," he said and began the drive into town. "So what was that earlier about a conversation with Havoc you've had before? Something about 'not getting lovey-dovey with a smoker'?"

She glanced at him. "Oh, just a stupid indiscretion back at the academy when we got drunk and he kissed me before we shipped out to Ishval." She said it like it was no big deal, mostly because she had forgiven Havoc so long ago that the thought of it made her laugh most days.

Mustang's foot hit the break a little harder than he intended and he turned to look at her. "Wait, what? How have I never heard about this?"

"I never thought it was important enough to mention. It was one kiss and it was years ago. And for the record, he kissed me and I certainly did not kiss him back."

Roy thought back to how Havoc had volunteered to go undercover as her husband, to the time he had talked about how hot she was when they were in the elevator the night of Hughes's bachelor party, and the day he'd been so defensive of her when he thought Roy had deliberately hurt her. It all made more sense now.

"He's got a thing for you," he said as he resumed driving.

Riza looked at him like he was crazy. "Don't be ridiculous. He does not. He just likes to flirt sometimes because he knows I won't fall for it."

He shrugged. It did seem like Havoc just had a thing for anyone with boobs, so he couldn't really fault him for it.

They parked on the curb in front of a formal wear shop and Roy got out to open the door for her. He caught sight of the their reflections in the glass of the store front as they made their way inside. It was strange to see them both dressed in civilian clothes, something he hadn't seen in years. "I'll find my tux, then meet you in the women's section if you want to go ahead and start looking."

"You sure you're not still jealous about this whole silly Havoc thing? I don't wanna leave you alone if you are." She said as they entered the store. "But yeah, you can meet me over there."

"I wasn't jealous in the first place," he denied. "I'll see you in a few minutes." He reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before walking away. It was just a small sign of affection, but it felt incredible to be able to do something like that in public.

She smiled. He was totally jealous. She turned and headed over to women's to browse. It would probably be better to wear something black, as it would be less conspicuous. They shouldn't stand out too much going undercover. She found a couple black dresses that seemed decent enough and also covered her back. She slung them over her arm as she went to look for matching shoes that wouldn't kill her feet and that she would be able to run in if necessary.

Roy picked out the first black tux he found in his measurements and went to try it on. Satisfied, he told the sales associate to bag that one up for him and went to find Riza. He found her in the shoes. "Looks like you didn't have much trouble finding something you liked," he said, noting the dresses draped over her arm.

"Well, these would all cover my tattoo but I'm not sure which one to go with. I figured black would help me blend in better." She held up her arm so he could look at the dresses. "Feel free to help me decide because I have no idea what I'm doing."

He looked back and forth between them. "Well, it might be easier to decide if I could see them on you first." He smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "You really want to do this now?"

He shrugged and looked at his pocket watch. "We have plenty of time and we need to make sure it fits before tomorrow anyway."

"Right. Well. Okay then. I think the fitting rooms are this way." She pointed towards the back of the department. This whole thing was so weird to her. It had been so long since they were out like this together so casually. They walked back and she was let into an empty room to change. "I won't be long."

Roy leaned against the wall outside of the changing rooms and waited. He tried to remember the last time they'd been able to go out in public like this, with no worries about what someone else might think if they saw them out together. By his count, it had been eight years ago, before he had gone to Ishval, before she joined the military, and before everything had changed.

Riza only struggled for a moment to get the snugly fit garment over her body. She smoothed it down. It was a simple black dress that hugged her legs and stopped above the knee, as well as came up to the base of her neck with cut off sleeves. She put on the black heels and opened the door. "This is the first option." She said, trying to keep her cool instead of being shy about showing off to him.

"You look great," he said, looking over at her. He hadn't seen her so dressed up since Hughes's wedding three years before. "Do you still want to try the second option or go with that one?"

"I'm not sure I like how this is for my thighs, honestly. I have to be able to conceal and carry my guns," she said, realization dawning on her. She shrugged. "I'll try on one more." She disappeared behind the door again. When she came back out, she was wearing a longer dress. This one came with a slit up to her mid-thigh and a small collar around her neck. It was still sleeveless. She looked at Roy and waited.

His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline when he saw her. "Wow," was all he managed to get out at first. His eyes roamed over her body from head to toe and then back up again. By the time his eyes met hers, the room was suddenly feeling ten degrees hotter than it had before. He tugged self consciously at the collar of his shirt. "I like that one a lot."

Riza felt her cheeks getting warmer at his reaction. "You sure it's not too much? Although it's perfect for my weapons." She glanced at herself in the mirror. She hardly recognized herself.

"I think it's perfect, but I'll admit I may be a little biased."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. Give me a minute and we can check out." She went back to change back into her regular clothes. Once she was done, she came back over to him, still smiling slightly. "This is strange but sort of amazing, isn't it?" she said quietly.

He smiled back at her as they made their way to the front of the store. "I know exactly what you mean."

They paid for their purchases and returned to the car. "I was thinking...since it's still early in the evening, maybe we could stop for dinner on our way. For the sake of keeping up appearances for our undercover mission, of course." He winked at her.

She chuckled. "Well, when you put it that way I guess I HAVE to have dinner with you." She reached over to gently place her hand on his leg while he drove.

"Well, I suppose I should admit that I have an ulterior motive besides establishing our cover. I've never been able to take you out on a real date before and I'd say it's a bit overdue."

Riza looked over at him. "You're very sweet. Then again, you always have been. At least to me." She squeezed his thigh affectionately.

* * *

The next night, they all convened as planned in the safe house occupied by Breda and Havoc at 1600hrs.

Roy emerged from the downstairs bathroom, pinning cuff links into the sleeves of his tux. He joined the rest of his men gathered in the living room while they waited for Hawkeye, who was getting ready upstairs. "Were you able to get the surveillance equipment set up this afternoon, sergeant?"

Fuery nodded. "Yes, sir. Everything is ready to go. We'll just need to attach the listening devices to your clothes." He picked one up from the table and passed it to Roy. "If you pin that under your collar, we should be able to hear you just fine, but it will be out of sight. Unfortunately, using earpieces would be too obvious, so we won't be able to communicate with you,"

"Understood." Roy pinned the small device under his collar and Fuery put on his headphones. "Everything clear?"

Fuery nodded. "Sound is nearly perfect."

Havoc stood to the side, buttoning up a sports coat while they did this. Since he already had extensive knowledge of the area, he was going to be posing as their chauffeur. Falman and Breda were in their civilian clothes still and would be keeping out of sight in the surveillance van with Fuery unless they were needed.

Upstairs, Riza inspected her reflection one last time after securing the last of her guns to her hidden leg. She made sure to pack as much as she hoped she would need in the event of a violent emergency. Her hair was pulled into a neat bun with a couple tendrils falling loose to frame her face round her bangs. The metal earrings still decorated her ears, as they had since Roy had given them to her. She slipped her shoes onto her feet and exhaled before opening the door to begin her descent down the stairs.

When they heard the sound of her shoes hitting the steps, the men all turned their heads to look upon the only female in their unit and one of the stars of their operation. Havoc's jaw fell open ever so slightly, his eyes fixated on the woman in black. Breda and Fuery were both quite frozen as well. Falman looked at her, smiled politely, then turned his head away.

"You look lovely, Lieutenant." Falman said, but not in a weird or flirtatious way.

Riza smiled slightly, trying not to let herself turn red under the scrutiny of all her comrades. "Thank you, Falman."

While the rest of the men watched Riza enter, Roy watched Havoc. He hadn't quite forgotten what Riza had told him the night before. Not that he could blame the guy.

His eyes met hers when she reached the bottom of the stairs and he gave her a small smile. "Mrs. Caverly," he greeted with a smirk as he crossed to her. "I think you may have forgotten something." He reached into the pocket of his tux and pulled out a simple metal band he'd transmuted earlier that day. A matching one adorned the ring finger of his left hand.

Riza gave him a knowing look before accepting the ring and placing it on her left ring finger. "I'd say I'm officially armed and ready, sir. Whenever you are." She then gave him a gracious smile and added, "Mr. Caverly." She had to start getting into the swing of calling him that.

He smiled and glanced back over his shoulder at the rest of the men who had all still been watching them. He raised an eyebrow and they all busied themselves with whatever they could. "Are we ready to move out?"

"Yes, sir! Havoc will drive the two of you and we'll leave ten minutes after to take our spot a block away," said Breda.

Havoc snuffed out his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe and headed toward the door. "I'll have the car ready when you are, Mr. and Mrs. Caverly."

Roy offered an arm to Riza. "Shall we?"

Riza nodded and linked her arm through his. "Yes. Let's get this night under way."

Fuery tilted his head as he watched them leave. "Huh. They seem so...natural like that."

Breda gave him a weird look. "Really? I think it's freaky."

"Well that, too. But they're very good at looking like they love each other." Fuery continued.

"They have been working together for even longer than we've known them. It's not that much of a surprise is it?" asked Falman, ever the observant one.

"That's a fair point." The other two conceded.

* * *

Havoc pulled up to the curb in front of the Cully mansion and got out of the car to come around and open the back passenger door. Roy emerged first, then stopped and offered a hand to help Riza out behind him.

Up and down the street, other well dressed members of society were emerging from similar cars as their chauffeurs struggled to get their passengers as close as they could to the event. The gossip about this being the party of the year certainly hadn't been exaggerated, but the sheer number of attendees would work to their advantage in masking their movements throughout the night. They needed to get inside and look for any evidence they could that the man's money was coming through illegal arms dealing to Creta as was suspected.

They followed the crowd up the long walkway, through a beautifully landscaped garden, and to the front door where butlers were checking invitations. Roy procured theirs from inside his jacket and held it out to one of the men. "Mr. John Caverly and my wife, Elizabeth," he introduced. They hadn't previously agreed on first names for their aliases, so he supplied the first two that came to mind, and the first name that came to mind for Riza was her mother's name.

"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Caverly," said the man, ushering them inside.

Roy felt a bit relieved as they entered. They hadn't spotted the invitation as a forgery and getting in the door was half the battle.

Riza stayed with him, hooked onto his arm, as they entered the party. She looked around, her sniper eyes observing everything they possibly could. She noted the types of crowds close to corresponding tables. There was a floor in the center of the ballroom for dancing couples. At the other end of the large room stood Scott Cully himself next to his daughter. She looked so happy. Did she know about what may possibly be going on with her father's money?

They approached a table of champagne and Riza reached over to grab one and hand it to Roy. "Would you like some champagne, dear?"

"That sounds wonderful, darling," he said as he accepted the glass from her. As he took a sip, he observed the other people in the room over the rim of the glass. They needn't have worried that Riza might stand out with the high slit in her gown. Everywhere he looked were trophy wives of Cully's business associates wearing dresses with plunging necklines and risque hemlines. Diamonds glinted on wrists and at their throats. If anything, they ran more of a risk of standing out for the opposite reason than they had thought.

They'd made it this far, though. They just needed to blend in long enough to find an opening to sneak away and explore the rest of the house for the evidence they needed. The other men were prepared to provide a distraction if it became necessary.

The soft music that was filling the background of the event came to a stop and everyone inside turned to look toward the center, where Cully stood by his daughter. The man smiled and raised his hands in an elaborate gesture before he said loudly enough for all to hear, "Thank you all so much for coming! As most of you know, it is my beautiful daughter Annabelle's birthday! This is cause for much celebration and we are both delighted to welcome you to our event. Please, drink and eat to your heart's content and feel free to join us here on the dance floor!"

The music changed to something more appropriate for dancing and couples began to flood the floor, Riza watched everyone that moved intently, making sure she observed as much as she could. She sipped her drink and casually leaned against her "husband's" shoulder. "I don't think I've heard this song before."

Roy wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Going undercover as Riza's husband was certainly one of the more pleasant things he'd been asked to do while in the military. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Dance with me?" He reasoned that, logically, this would help them blend in more than if they just stood to the side observing all evening and it would be an easy way to move around the room to get a better look at the exit options without arousing suspicions, but, really, he just didn't get the opportunity to dance with her often and it always brought back memories for him of their first Christmas together and their kiss under the mistletoe.

Riza smiled up at him. "Sure, just promise you won't step on my feet." she teased. She knew very well he was a fine dancer, seeing as how it was he who taught her how to dance her first time. She had the brief thought that he had been her first for just about everything, and it made her stomach jump with excitement. She slid her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand before placing her empty glass on the table. "By your lead, handsome."

He set his glass next to hers and used the arm around her waist to guide her onto the dance floor before turning to face her. He put one hand on the small of her back to draw her close to him and took her hand in his as they joined the other dancing couples on the floor. "You're so beautiful."

She blushed slightly, averting her gaze for a moment before looking up at him. "Thank you. I'm glad you think so." She kept in step with him the entire time. They were always so in sync, she never really had to think about how to move. Her hands gripped him a bit more tightly. She never wanted to let him go.

Roy didn't want the song to end and when it did he drew her closer for a moment longer and pressed his lips to hers. It was a wonderful feeling being able to do that when he felt like it even when they were out in public. He drew back after a moment and took her hand in his as they left the dance floor. He glanced casually over at where Cully was greeting guests with his daughter to make note of where he was in the room.

Riza smiled softly and followed him. Her eyes made their usual scan of the room quickly as they walked. She observed the guests, the guest of honor, and the guards at their posts.

* * *

Meanwhile, Fuery was mildly blushing while he was sitting in a large vehicle outside of the mansion only a few blocks down the street. He could hear when they kissed, and assumed it was probably just cheek kisses, but the thought of them being so convincing for this mission astounded him as well as embarrassed him since he was the only one who could listen in.

Breda looked at him. "Man, are you blushing? What's going on in there?"

"No, I'm not! It's just warm in this van since I have to share it with all three of you!" Fuery said defensively. Falman and Havoc were also in the vehicle with them.

"It's probably because I'm in here." said Havoc, smirking with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He was up front with the window cracked so they didn't suffocate from his smoke.

Breda rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

* * *

Inside, Roy and Riza had made a slow circuit of the room's perimeter, exchanging occasional pleasantries with other guests.

Roy noted how often a guard would walk past the main door. There was approximately five minutes between each patrol and there appeared to be only two of them inside. The majority had been stationed at the mansion's outer perimeter. He did the math in his head and that meant it took each man ten minutes to do a complete circuit of the mansion and with only two of them, they couldn't be everywhere at once. Those weren't bad odds. All they would have to do would be to slip out of the room unnoticed shortly after one patrol went by and be careful not to run into either of them while they explored for evidence of Cully's arms dealing.

He glanced back to where he had last seen Cully, but the man was no longer there. He saw the daughter, Annabelle, on the dance floor with a young man. He glanced around and caught sight of Cully exchanging whispers with another man who he knew to be Chester Hemsworth from reading the files on the man's known associates. Scott Cully looked up then and his eyes met Roy's. He said something to Hemsworth and the man walked away before Cully started toward Roy and Riza.

Roy gave Riza's hand a gentle squeeze then took a few steps to meet him. "Mr. Cully, a pleasure to finally meet you!" he said enthusiastically, extending his right hand to him.

Cully took his hand and gave it a brief shake before withdrawing. "And you are…?"

"John Caverly. And this is my lovely wife, Elizabeth."

Riza nodded her head politely and smiled. "A pleasure, Mr. Cully." She hugged Roy's left arm close to her. They were the picture of a happy couple. Cully noticed this, and smiled in return.

"It's very nice to meet you as well. I can see you two are very much in love, what, with the way you two were dancing earlier. I don't know that I've ever seen anyone so in tune with each other." Cully said, slightly leering at them, his eyes falling lastly on Riza a little longer than she would have liked. She resisted the urge to grab one of her guns from under her dress. Cully continued, "I take it you two are newlyweds?"

"Oh, well. Technically, but we've known each other for many years now. So it feels like we've been married for much longer." Riza replied smoothly, stroking Roy's arm. "You have a lovely daughter, by the way." She tried to change the subject.

"Thank you. She is quite stunning, isn't she? I can't believe she's so grown up already." Cully replied. He did seem to genuinely care for his daughter, at least. "So tell me, Caverly, what brings you to the area? I don't believe I've even seen you two in town recently."

"We just moved to the area from the East for my work," Roy lied. "We're hoping to start a family soon and we heard this town was a great place for raising a family."

"Really? I came from the East myself several years ago," said Cully, looking a bit harder at Roy as if trying to place him. "Perhaps we have met before…"

Roy was saved from answering as a collective gasp rose from the crowd and the music ceased. They all turned to see a large tiered birthday cake being wheeled into the room and toward the center of the dance floor as people cleared a path for it. Annabelle was standing at the center, beaming.

"If you'll excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Caverly…." Cully went to join his daughter.

Roy saw their opportunity as everyone crowded around and began to sing Happy Birthday. He tugged gently on Riza's arm and nodded his head toward the nearest door.

Riza nodded and turned to begin making their way toward the door. Once they were through it, she exhaled. "Was it just me or did that guy seem extra weird and creepy to you?" She asked him, still holding onto his arm.

"Not just you." he replied.

"Good." She let go of his arm. "We should start checking out these rooms for anything out of the ordinary."

"My thoughts exactly." He started in the direction of a nearby hallway. They moved quickly, but quietly. The halls were deserted as everyone else was distracted by the festivities in the ballroom. They checked one room after another, listening at the door for any sounds of occupancy. The further into the mansion they got, the darker the hallways became. It was clear Cully didn't want anyone accidentally wandering down this way, so the lights had been turned off to make sure no one mistook this for a route to the main entrance.

The footsteps of a patrolling guard echoed in the silence as they rounded a corner into yet another hallway in this labyrinth of rooms. Roy and Riza looked at each other, eyes wide. There was nowhere they could hide. The guard would hear if they opened a door now.

Roy could take the guard down easily, but if the second guard came along and found his partner unconscious or noticed he was missing, he'd raise the alarm and they'd be found. They could run for it now, but the guard would probably give chase and they'd never have a chance to get inside again. That left him with only one option.

Acting quickly, he gently pushed Riza back against the wall and started kissing her passionately. He used his hand to lift one of her legs to wrap around his and pressed his body close to hers.

Of course this caught Riza a bit off guard. But she also wouldn't complain. She held her leg tightly around his thigh and returned his kiss with equal passion. A low moan hummed in the base of her throat. Even if she would need a cold shower later, this was an excellent idea for their cover.

* * *

Meanwhile, poor Fuery was turning a hundred shades of red. They sure were taking this mission seriously. This was definitely no kiss on the cheek. Weren't they just checking rooms? Why suddenly start making out then? He wasn't sure what was going on, but kept his headphones on for fear of missing something important to the mission. He looked around the van, trying to distract himself from the sounds of kissing and moaning.

"Something wrong?" Havoc asked, one eyebrow raised when Fuery looked his way.

"Nope! Everything's fine!" Fuery answered quickly.

* * *

Inside, the guard's footsteps drew nearer by the second before they halted entirely when he caught sight of his unexpected company in the otherwise deserted corridors. He rolled his eyes and continued on his patrol. It wasn't the first time a drunk couple had wandered away in search of some privacy at one of Cully's events and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Roy continued kissing Riza for a few moments after the sound of footsteps faded away. He slowly pulled back and smirked. "That was a close call."

"Indeed." Her face was flushed and she was insanely turned on. Hopefully if all went well tonight, they could meet up later in their hotel. For now, she had to do her best to keep focused on the mission at hand. "Are you ready to continue, sir?" she said in a low voice. She just remembered that Fuery could hear them and tried to sound more professional in order to fight back her embarrassment.

He had to fight back a joke about the possible double meaning of her question. He'd definitely like to continue what they had just started, but it would have to wait. He made himself focus on the mission at hand. "The guard didn't seem too concerned about us being in the east wing of the mansion and so far these rooms have all been empty and unlocked. If there had been anything important here that they didn't want someone to accidentally find, he wouldn't have let us stay here, so I say we give up on the rooms here and head to the west wing."

Riza nodded. "You're right. Let's move." She turned to face the west side of the building. She began to move, swiftly and quietly despite her heeled shoes. Surprisingly her feet weren't killing her yet. Who would've thought that playing dress-up (albeit unwillingly) with Rebecca back at the academy would've come in handy one day? They both came upon another hallway with several doors. She began to cautiously open them one at a time to see if any might be locked. "If you find one that won't open, let me know."

He nodded. They split up and he checked the rooms on the right side of the hallway while she checked the rooms on the left. He'd made it halfway down his side with nothing to show for it when he found a door knob that wouldn't turn. This had to be it. He caught her eye from where she was a little ways down the hall and motioned for her to join him.

She came toward him, a hand reaching up to her hair. It was currently up but when her hand came back down, her hair fell down with it leaving it in a slight disarray. A bobby pin was between her fingers and she began to pick the door lock with it. "I definitely took Rebecca's talents for almost useless until this night." she remarked. She jostled the knob with her pin and they heard a distinct clicking sound. The doorknob turned and she pushed the door open slowly to reveal a rather small library of sorts.

Roy looked at her, impressed with this skill he hadn't known she possessed. "Excellent work," he said as they entered the room. A cursory glance revealed the room to be full of nothing but book cases and a desk. He crossed to the desk and flipped through a few ledgers he found there, hoping to find something incriminating, but whatever code Cully used wasn't easily discernible. He let out a frustrated sigh and was about to exit the room when he noticed something was….off.

He walked back into the hallway and glanced to the door of the room he had last checked and the blank expanse of wall between the doors. Yes, something definitely didn't add up. He turned back to the wall of bookcases to his right. "There's at least six feet of space unaccounted for between this room and the next one," he informed her as he crossed to the book cases and examined them. He noted the spine of one book at shoulder height that looked more worn than the rest and reached up to pull it off the shelf. The whole bookcase responded, swinging open to reveal a staircase that led underground. "Bingo." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his ignition gloves.

"Well done, sir." said Riza, who reached down to her thigh and pulled out one of her many guns. She held it in front of her as she walked closely behind Roy into the passageway. They took stairs down into a dimly lit path. At the end of the path was a large steel door. Riza nodded and Roy reached out to turn the large wheel that served as a knob. It opened to reveal a large area containing crates of what looked like guns and other weapons. Riza followed him inside, looking everywhere to take in their surroundings. "I'd say we definitely hit the jackpot."

Roy pried open a nearby crate to inspect the contents and found it to be full of grenades and ammunition. He let out a low whistle. "We found it," he said for the sake of Fuery and the others. "And it's even worse than we thought it would be. Looks like they've got quite the smuggling setup with Creta." He walked further into the room opened another crate and found similar contents. "West Wing, under the study. Time to shut this party down."

"Not so fast, Flame Alchemist."

Roy spun around to see Cully enter, flanked by six guards who all had guns aimed at him and Riza.

"I couldn't place you earlier, but now I know where I've seen you before," the man said with a pointed look at Roy's gloves. "You see, Creta isn't the only country I've worked with. I had quite the setup with the Ishvalans before you and the other state alchemists put a stop to that war and I had to find a more lucrative market."

Riza aimed her gun at the men and glared at Cully. Her eyes darted to count the guards and observe their positions. She was outnumbered. Roy wouldn't be able to use his fire without the risk of causing an explosion and killing all of them. She could probably take down at least half of the guards by their legs, but that would leave three unattended who could gun down Roy. Even bullets were risky in a place like this. She smirked slightly. The odds were very much against them until backup arrived. Which meant she couldn't miss.

Roy could see Riza's shoulders stiffen with resolve and he knew exactly what she had planned. "Thanks for the confession," he said to Cully, reaching up with one hand toward the hidden microphone under his collar. The guards cocked their guns and watched him suspiciously. "Woah, easy there," he said holding his hands up in a non-threatening gesture with his open palms facing them. "Just want to show you something." He kept his left hand up in this position as he slowly reached for the bug with his right. He plucked it out from under his collar and held it up for Cully to see. "As you can see, everything you've said has been recorded. There'll be no getting out of it this time."

Cully's face contorted with rage and he stepped toward Roy, his arm outstretched to snatch the device, but Roy was quicker. He grabbed Cully's arm in his left hand and wrenched it up and back, using the momentum to twist around so that Cully was between him and the guards as a sort of human shield.

The guards hesitated, not wanting to wound their boss if they shot him. That moment of hesitation was all they needed.

Riza took advantage of this moment and cocked her gun smoothly before aiming and shooting two of the six men in their legs. She made sure to aim for the bone so that the bullet would not pass through and hit a crate. A third man took aim at her, but she was much faster and landed a hit into his shin, taking him down. But the fool had his finger on the trigger, and it pulled. His bullet went flying into the air, missing Riza, but headed somewhere far more dangerous.

Roy saw what happened as if it were in slow motion as he realized what would happen next. He shoved Cully roughly away from him and into two of the remaining guards, knocking all three to the ground close to the door, then tackled Riza, holding her body close and using his own to shield her from the blast.

Riza squeezed her eyes tightly as she braced for the blast that was sure to come. She knew what would happen as soon as the man had missed his mark.

* * *

The ballroom lights flickered as the explosion shook the mansion and a chandelier crashed to the ground, scattering shattered glass everywhere. Havoc, Breda, Falman and backup soldiers from the West had received Roy's message over the radio and entered to clear the civilians and make their arrests while Fuery waited in the van.

Before the blast, Havoc had been watching as soldiers from West City arrested Cully's known associates. Everything had seemed under control, but now he looked around, wide-eyed, and spotted Breda and Falman doing the same. No words passed between them, but they all understood. They ran for the west wing, trailed by two of the local soldiers.

They found themselves entering the study library that Roy and Riza had discovered earlier. The whole room was in disarray from whatever made the building shake. Bookcases were overturned and books littered the floor. They could see a large door was open to reveal what appeared to be some sort of secret passage way. Havoc nodded, made a signal with his hand to move, and rushed forward while the others followed closely behind.

They made it to the bottom of the stairs and came upon what could only be described as chaos. Havoc's eyes went wide with shock as he took in the sight. The ceiling had crumbled about halfway down the sides of the expansive room. He scanned the area, searching for his comrades. "Colonel?! Hawkeye?!" he shouted.

Breda and Falman began to shout for them as well as they all approached the debris. Now that they were closer, they could see a couple of mangled body parts from what looked like Cully's guards. One of them was still alive, but trapped by rubble. Cully was also pinned down by a huge slab of concrete on his legs. His eyes were wild and crazed as they met Havoc's.

"You all thought you could best me, did you? See what happens when you mess with me? You die! You all die!" he shouted. Havoc clenched his jaw, walked up, and kicked Cully in the face.

"This is all your fault!" he shrieked. How could this evil man, after all he had done to hurt others, be alive while his friends were probably dead?

"Havoc! Calm down!" Falman yelled. He and Breda both had to grab him by both arms to pull him away from Cully. "You'll kill him if you don't stop. We have to take him in."

"Fucking bastard!" seethed Havoc. "He should be dead! Not them!"

* * *

On the other side of the collapse, Riza began to regain consciousness after being knocked out by the blast. The ringing in her ears was painfully loud. Her vision was slightly blurred as she blinked her eyes open. All she could see were large pieces of rock and other debris as the dust settled around her. She was alive? When she felt the weight upon her, she realized she may not be for much longer. Was she pinned down by rubble?

She heard his breathing, and she turned her head and could smell him on top of her. "Roy?" she whispered. He wasn't responding, wasn't moving. His breathing was shaky and uneven. "Roy?!" she shouted, then she coughed. The smoke had gotten to her. Maybe that was why he wouldn't wake up? It didn't matter. She wrapped her weak arms around his body and tried to shake him. "Please wake up! Don't you dare die on me! Do you hear me, Colonel! I will never forgive you! Wake the fuck up!"

* * *

Outside in the van, Fuery sat solemnly, listening to everything unfold through the radios the other men were equipped with. After a moment, he started to hear something else from the headset he had connected to the listening device Roy had been wearing. He snatched up the headset and listened carefully. At first it was just static and the sound of shifting debris, then suddenly he could hear Riza's voice through the listening device, even though it sounded a bit muffled.

He grabbed his radio. "Guys, Hawkeye is alive! I can still hear her!"

Havoc visibly looked relieved when he heard the Sergeant's words. "Thank God! What about the Colonel, Fuery?"

"I don't know. I can only hear her, and from the sounds of it, she's with him but he's not awake." Fuery responded, worry evident in his voice.

"All right, men. Clear this debris, on the double!" Havoc shouted to the others. He joined them in pulling away rocks.

* * *

Roy groaned, shifting slightly in her arms as he regained consciousness. Every muscle in his body screamed out in pain. He could hear her voice, pleading with him to wake up. That was good. It meant she was safe. He had gotten to her in time.

He wanted to reach out and comfort her, assure her that he was going to be fine as well, but he wasn't so sure of that just yet. He fought to open his eyes and the sudden light accompanied by the ringing in his ears made his head hurt even more. "Riza?" he managed to get out, a bit weakly. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, thank God!" Riza said, tears in her eyes. "I was worried you wouldn't wake up!" She clutched him tightly. The thought of losing him had always terrified her. "I'm so sorry, it was my fault. I should have shot the gun out of his hand!" She couldn't seem to look anywhere but his eyes. She couldn't bear it if this were a dream, so she just kept looking at him to keep herself grounded.

"Not your fault," he insisted. "We were outnumbered. I was the useless one, not able to use my alchemy down here without blowing us all up….I knew what was going to happen as soon as I saw his finger pull the trigger….I was so afraid I wouldn't get to you in time." He held her closer and buried his face in her neck. He could smell her perfume and that, more than anything, assured him that this was real. "I can't believe we both made it out."

"I know. I'm so glad, Roy." she whispered, her lips grazing the side of his head affectionately. "Are you able to move at all? Is anything broken?"

He moved one arm to help push himself up into a seated position, keeping the other arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He moved his legs experimentally. "Nothing broken, I think. Just pretty banged up and bruised. You?" He looked at her, his concern evident.

She did the same thing as he to make sure. "Nothing broken." She coughed. "Just suffocating from the smoke a bit and I'll be sore for a while." She reached up to caress his face, a gentle smile on hers.

Roy gave her a small smile in return and leaned in to gently press his lips to hers for a brief moment. "I love you," he said as he pulled back and wrapped his arms around her.

Back in the van, Fuery's jaw was nearly on the floor as he held the headphones to his ears. It was like watching a train wreck. He wanted to stop listening, but he was frozen in place. So much made sense now that hadn't before. He wondered how they all had missed it, it seemed so obvious now.

"I think I see light!" Breda yelled out as he pulled piece after piece of concrete rubble back from the wall. A few more and he broke through just enough to be able to see through a small window like gap he had made. His face broke into a grin when he saw both of them alive and well. He didn't even notice the rather compromising position they were in, attributing it to them hugging after surviving a near death experience together. "They're alive!" he shouted back to Havoc and Falman. "We'll have you guys out in just a minute!"

Breda's voice came over the headphones and that jolted Fuery into action. He jumped up and went to the recording devices, backing up to the point where he had first heard Riza's voice and recorded over the rest of it with silence. If anyone ever asked, he'd just say it was a miracle that the microphone had lasted just long enough to let them know she was alive before it gave out. He'd never say a word to anyone about what else he had heard. He respected them both too much to do that.

Riza looked over at the sound of Breda's voice. "We're over here!" she called out. She looked back at Roy. Back to being soldiers. "We should probably get moving, Colonel. We don't need to stay in here much longer with all this smoke." She said a little breathlessly.

Roy nodded and pushed himself up to walk over to the debris wall and start chipping away at it from their side. It didn't take long until they were able to make a hole wide enough for someone to fit through. He helped Riza through first, then climbed out after her, wincing slightly at the pain in his body.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Havoc said, grinning at the sight of them standing there whole and relatively unharmed. "We thought for sure you were both done for."

"So did we." Riza responded, offering her friends a smile. Havoc grinned and pulled her into a friendly hug.

"I'm glad you guys are safe. I started to think of work without you two, and how I'd be stuck with all these guys, and I almost went crazy!" he said with feigned emotion.

Riza rolled her eyes and pat his back a moment before pulling away. "I'm sure you would've lived. Paperwork would never get done. But you would've lived."

Roy watched this exchange with a raised eyebrow. "I almost died, too, y'know."

"Yeah, but I thought you might incinerate me if I tried to hug you," Havoc responded with a shrug. He put his hands in his pockets and pulled out a cigarette from one and a lighter from the other.

Mustang glanced around and caught sight of Cully's bruised and bloody face as he was escorted out in handcuffs by some of the West City soldiers. "What happened to him?"

"We found him here with his leg trapped under a concrete slab from the cave in," Falman explained.

"That still doesn't explain the face."

"Let's just say Havoc really did miss you," Breda said.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We're getting close to the events of the show now which mainly occurs in 1914-1915. We hope to have the next chapter, which will be the last before we hit 1914, up this weekend.
> 
> As a fun fact, when we started this chapter, we didn't know how it would end. We just wanted a mission where they went undercover as a couple. When we got to the underground room scene, we actually had three possible endings in mind before we settled on the explosion and subsequent events.
> 
> Thanks for reading!-J&C


	21. December 1913

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter marks the first time we have caught up to the series and takes place just after the fight with The Freezer in episode 1 of FMA: Brotherhood.

**December 1913**

"You're lucky Lieutenant Hawkeye carries around a case of dry gloves to keep your stupidity from getting you killed," Hughes said with a smirk as he watched Roy wring the water from his uniform jacket.

The hour was late and the two had returned to Central Headquarters after the defeat of The Freezer at the hands of none other but Fuhrer Bradley himself.

"I don't think he would have killed me." Roy said with a small shake of his head. "He didn't seem interested in killing anyone besides the Fuhrer."

"Strange, isn't it? McDougal was always the perfect soldier back in Ishval. Can't imagine what made him decide to turn traitor after all this time."

Roy made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat and hung the still damp jacket over the back of a chair before sinking into it himself, exhausted after the long day they'd had.

"When are you headed back East?"

"Not for a couple of days at least. My team still has a few loose ends to tie up here."

"Oh, really?!" Hughes said, a sly look crossing his face. "Then since you'll be here for it, you've got to come to my place for my New Year's Eve party! And you can see my super sweet adorable Elicia again!" Stars seemed to shine in his eyes as the man appeared to become possessed. "And I refuse to take no for an answer! And definitely extend the invitation to the rest of your team!"

Roy thought about it, but couldn't see any reason to object. It wasn't often that he and Hughes had been able to spend time together after they had been stationed in different places since the war ended nearly five years before. He hoped that might change soon. Rumor had it there would soon be a vacancy in Central that he hoped to transfer into.

"We'll be there," Roy promised. "Assuming no one else decides to try to destroy the city and kill the Fuhrer between now and then."

* * *

**The Hughes Home, 1913**

The night was cold, but certainly not dark as Riza and the others approached Maes Hughes's house. Lights decorated the streets due to the recent festivities, giving parts of their surroundings tints and shades of mostly red and green. She gazed about with quiet admiration. She and the others made their way into the apartment building in front of them. They followed Roy up a couple flights of stairs until they eventually came to a stop in front of a door with a wreath on it. Riza smiled softly, realizing the wreath was homemade as a craft due to the very childish touches of pink and yellow and blue ribbon tied to random pieces of it. Elicia obviously got to design the decoration.

"Interesting wreath." Havoc said, an eyebrow raised.

Roy smirked. "Better not let him catch you speaking in that tone about his daughter's things." He turned away and knocked on the door.

Riza and the others heard the thumping of feet, a muffled concerned voice, then the door knob clicking as it was pulled open. A little girl stood before them dressed in cute Christmas-themed pajamas. Her hair was tied in pigtails atop her head. Her green eyes lit up as they caught and held Roy's then Riza's.

"Uncle Roy! Auntie Riza!" the child squealed, throwing her arms up in the air.

Riza smiled and swerved in front of Roy to grab and lift the child. "She's all mine first, Colonel." She gave Elicia a hug. Elicia giggled happily.

Havoc, Breda, Falman, and Fuery all wore shocked looks on their faces. They'd never seen Hawkeye behave as such.

"What's with the 'Auntie' and 'Uncle' thing anyway?" Havoc mumbled under his breath.

"Hughes has her calling any adult in her life that. Give him long enough and you'll soon be 'Uncle Havoc.'" Roy chuckled as he and the other men followed her inside. "Hey now, don't keep her all to yourself, Lieutenant."

Hughes poked his head out of a door further down the hallway and grinned. "Roy! Glad to see you were all able to make it."

"Wouldn't miss it, Major," Breda responded with a smile.

"Did I hear you say Colonel Mustang and his team are here?!" an overly exuberant voice asked from inside the room before the head of Alex Louis Armstrong appeared above that of Hughes. "But where are the Elric brothers?"

"Already off chasing another rumor of the Philosopher's Stone, no doubt," Havoc said as he shrugged out of his coat.

Hughes ushered them all into the room where a few other soldiers from Central and some of Gracia's friends were already chatting.

Roy watched Riza as she carried Elicia into the room, cradling the small toddler in her arms and he couldn't help but smile. Riza would be a good mom, he mused. It was a shame it would never happen for them.

"Now tell me who your favorite is, Elicia." Riza whispered mischievously. Elicia snickered while looking over her shoulder at Roy and said, "You, Auntie Riza!"

Hughes smiled warmly at his daughter. "Isn't she the cutest?"

"Sure, she is." Havoc said, his tone altered due to the fact that he was still a little freaked out at the sight of Riza hugging a child and teasing about Roy. They seemed closer than usual.

Hughes glared, an odd flame burning in his eyes. "What's that tone, Second Lieutenant?!"

Havoc jumped. "Oh, no, I'm sorry! She really is cute!"

"You're darn right she is!" Hughes said loudly. Gracia came over and placed a hand on his arm. "Now, now, dear. You're getting all riled again. You'll scare the company away!"

Hughes chuckled and seemed to be happy once more. "I'm sorry, I just get so caught up in my kid."

Havoc shrugged. "I've heard the stories."

"And seen the pictures," Fuery added in an undertone. He, too, was watching the exchange between the Colonel and the Lieutenant. It was strange now, knowing what he knew. He wondered how they had all missed it for so long and if he was the only one who knew. He'd never said anything to anyone about what he had heard that night in the West a few months prior, and he never would.

Meanwhile, Roy gave Elicia a mock offended look. "Really, now? She's your favorite? Even though I brought you this?" He reached into his pocket and produced a small stuffed dog.

Elicia gasped and reached for it, forgetting Riza completely. "Oh my goodness!"

Riza chuckled and relinquished the child to Roy. "Someone came prepared. I'll remember this later, Elicia!"

Elicia ran up to Roy to examine her new present.

Hughes laughed and came to stand by Riza. "Can I get you something to drink, Hawkeye? Elicia will be going to bed soon so the adults can finally talk the way they wish."

Riza smiled. "Sure, I'll have whatever you're having."

"Can do!" Hughes cheered. He grabbed beers for the others during his trip as well.

* * *

11:45pm came quickly. They were within minutes of a new year.

Elicia, who had been insistent that she could stay up until midnight when her mother had tried to put her to bed earlier in the evening, had fallen asleep on the couch, curled up between the Colonel and Lieutenant with her head resting in the lap of the latter.

Gracia smiled softly at the sight and came to lift her daughter from Riza's lap. "Sorry about that, she can fall asleep anywhere. I'll put her to bed before all the cheering at midnight wakes her and we never get her back to sleep."

Hughes looked lovingly on as his wife disappeared from sight, carrying their sleeping daughter to her bed. He wasn't sure how he'd gotten so lucky. "Aren't my wife and daughter just the most wonderful and beautiful girls you've ever seen?" he asked of no one in particular.

"They're quite lovely," Major Armstrong agreed.

Hughes laughed and turned to look at his best friend. "So, Roy, when are you finally going to get yourself a wife?" he teased.

"When you stop asking me that every time you see me."

Havoc stood and stretched. "I'm going to go grab one last smoke before the New Year. Anyone want to join me?"

Breda shrugged and stood as well. "I'll come keep you company." The two departed the room.

Riza chuckled and looked around at the drinks. "It looks like everyone could use a refill. I'll grab those, you can relax Hughes." She said this because once she mentioned more drinks, Maes had begun to shift in his seat to go fetch them. She smiled at him and excused herself.

"How kind of her." remarked Armstrong, his pale cheeks a little rosy due to the amount of alcohol he'd already consumed that evening,

Hughes nodded. "Being a host is so exhausting! And none of you jerks even offered so it was left to the lady!" He said, smirking and glancing at all except for Roy.

Roy rolled his eyes and stood. "I'll see if the Lieutenant needs any help."

"Don't be gone too long, Colonel, or you'll miss the countdown," said Brosch.

"I'll do my best."

Fuery watched from his seat in the corner as the Colonel followed after the Lieutenant, stopping in the doorway to allow Gracia to pass as she returned from putting her daughter to bed. The sergeant's eyes wandered around the room, but everyone else had returned to their conversations. He couldn't help but wonder how they were all so oblivious to what was right in front of their noses.

Riza was standing in the kitchen pouring a couple of cocktail ingredients in a few glasses when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned. "Oh, I'm glad you're here. I didn't think about actually having to carry them all back out there." She smiled.

"That's why I'm here. Hughes was kind enough to give the rest of us a guilt trip about letting you carry them by yourself," he explained as he pulled his pocket watch out to check the time. "Although...it looks like there's only a few minutes left in 1913, so I may just spend the rest of it in here before I carry these back..." He smirked.

Riza gave him a knowing look. "Feeling dangerous today, are we?" she murmured quietly so no one else would hear from the other room. Then she shrugged. "It's almost a good way to end such a long year. How about you make yourself useful with something besides staring at me and help make a drink or two?" She gave him a wink.

He shrugged. "I've probably just had a bit too much to drink," he said as he took a spot beside her at the kitchen counter and started to assist her.

She made a tsking noise with her tongue and looked over at him, shaking her head. "Someone can't hold his liquor?"

"Or perhaps I'm just using that as an excuse to live a bit dangerously tonight."

They worked in silence for a moment before they began to hear a jumble of excited voices coming from the next room before they all joined in unison to begin the countdown.

"10...9...8...7...6…"

Roy stopped what he was doing, setting aside the drink he had been working on. He turned to Riza and put an arm around her waist, pulling her body against his as he joined the countdown, speaking the numbers softly. "5...4...3..2...1….." He kissed her, pressing his lips firmly against hers as the people in the next room cheered and shouted 'Happy New Year!' to each other. Roy could care less what was happening in the next room, though. All that mattered to him at this moment was the two of them alone in the kitchen at the start of 1914.

Riza brought her hands up under his arms and held the ends of his hair that fell on his neck as she returned his kiss. Even though it was in secret, putting stress on them both, she admired and loved him all the more for being so willing to still be so openly affectionate with her while risking discovery. Perhaps the thrill made it more exciting than usual, because she never wanted to stop kissing him. She found herself pressing against him slightly, letting herself get lost in the feel of his mouth on hers and her body being held in his arms.

He reluctantly broke the kiss after a moment, resting his forehead against hers. "Happy New Year," he whispered.

Suddenly, the front door opened and the two jumped apart just before Breda caught sight of them. "Aw, man, we missed the countdown, didn't we?" he muttered as he looked at them. He sighed when Roy nodded. "Oh well, not like I had anyone here to kiss anyway. I guess this must be where the single people are hanging out anyway. I'm sure Hughes made it awkward to be around him and his wife at midnight."

"Maybe just a little, " Roy said. He glanced over Breda's shoulder toward the door where he could see Havoc entering behind him. "Actually, the two of you are just on time to assist the Lieutenant and I with carrying everyone's drinks back."

Riza hoped to God she wasn't blushing. She realized she must have been when Breda looked at her curiously and asked, "You a little warm, Hawkeye? Maybe you should drink some water." To which she smiled apologetically and insisted she would be fine. She watched as he took a couple of drinks out with him. She eyed Havoc as he came in to help too. He smirked.

"Sure you don't want that kiss for the holiday's sake?" Havoc teased her.

Riza rolled her eyes. "Maybe in your dreams tonight."

Havoc laughed and shrugged. "Your loss. I'm an excellent kisser." He turned to walk out.

Riza shrugged and smirked at Roy. "Eh, I've had better."

Havoc looked back to give her a mock offended look. "You can't judge a person's kissing ability based on one experience. Anyway, I was drunk at the time."

"You're drunk now," she pointed out with a blank expression.

"That is beside the point. And besides," he continued as his brain caught up to what she had said previously about having had better. "Who else have you even kissed to compare it to? You never go on dates. All you ever do is work, go shooting, and take your dog for walks."

Roy struggled to keep a straight face as he listened to the other man's alcohol fueled rambling. "I'd quit while you're ahead, Havoc, before the Lieutenant files a sexual harassment suit against you for taking such an interest in her personal life," he said as he picked up a few of the remaining drinks and carried them with him to the next room.

"I'm glad to hear you think I'm so interesting, Havoc." Riza said sarcastically before grabbing her own drink and following them back into the living area. She took a seat in a chair, completing the circle of friends in the living room.

* * *

As the night went on into the early morning hours of 1914, the circle dwindled smaller and smaller as people returned to their homes. Eventually, all that remained were Hughes, Mustang, Hawkeye, and Havoc, who had sobered up considerably over the last few hours.

The four talked, catching up and reminiscing about the memories they shared during their time in Ishval.

"I hope to never see another war like it in my lifetime," said Hughes. "Although with tensions the way they are on the border of Creta, it seems we may be headed that way."

Havoc frowned. "Think they'll call on the State Alchemists again?"

Roy folded his arms and leaned back in his seat. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

It had been five years now since the Ishval War of Extermination, but he still woke up some nights in a cold sweat with nightmares of the atrocities he had committed and seen committed there. He wasn't sure he could handle that kind of genocide being asked of him a second time and he didn't want to see it asked of others like Fullmetal.

Riza sighed and looked at the window of the room with a dreary look on her face. The last thing any of them needed was another full blown war. "I agree."

Havoc looked around the room at them all, regretting that he had asked the question. "Okay! New subject! What are you new year's resolutions?" he said optimistically. "I want a new girlfriend. And she's gonna be hot as hell with big, amazing boobs and gorgeous dark hair. Oh, and she has to be cool with me smoking."

Hughes stared at him a moment, seeming concerned. Then his serious expression broke and erupted into heartfelt laughter. "Man, you're really a piece of work, aren't you?"

"Best of luck with that one," Roy said with a roll of his eyes. "For me, I'm going to work closer to my goal of being Fuhrer. Maybe I can even get that transfer to Central this year."

Havoc snorted. He looked at Riza. "What about you, Hawkeye?"

Riza shrugged. "Mine is the same as last year."

Hughes smirked. "Keep Mustang from getting himself killed?"

She smirked and silently took a sip of her drink.

Havoc laughed. "As if that's anything new!"

"Well, she's succeeded so far," Roy said with a shrug. "What about you, Hughes?"

"I spend too much time at work. This year, I want to make it a priority to spend more time with my beautiful wife and daughter. I don't want to miss seeing Elicia grow up."

"Man, he had to go and outdo all of us." Havoc grumbled, but wore a small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for reading! We got more We hope you enjoyed this chapter, particularly the foreshadowing in all 4 character's New Year's Resolutions.


	22. Spring 1914

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The beginning of this chapter takes place in episode 10 of Brotherhood. You have been warned.

**Spring 1914**

Mustang knew that if he was going to accomplish his goals of rising in the military, he'd need to get closer to the higher ranking officers. With that goal in mind, he put in the paperwork to transfer to Central when a vacancy became available.

No one was more excited about the move than Hughes who had taken to calling Roy every few hours in the days leading up to the transfer to tell him all about his daughter Elicia and give advice on the best places to live in Central even though Roy grew up there and knew his way around just fine.

It wasn't unusual, then, for Hughes to call Roy at work late in the evening. What was unusual was that the call came from an outside line.

"Look Hughes, I don't have time for daughter stories…" Mustang began, but there was no answer. "Hughes? Are you there? Hughes!"

His unease grew when there was no answer on the other end before the line suddenly went dead.

He put down the phone and returned to his work, glancing at the phone every few minutes as if he was waiting for Hughes to call back.

He tried to ignore the gnawing sense of dread that was beginning to form the longer he waited for the phone to ring. After what seemed like an eternity, he gave in and reached for the phone, dialing the number for the operator at Central HQ. He didn't recognize the female voice that answered, but she sounded shaken.

"This is Colonel Mustang at Eastern Command," he began before she cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, but now isn't the best time…"

"Colonel?" a male voice repeated in the background. "Is that Colonel Mustang?"

He heard a rustling sound as the phone changed hands. "Colonel Mustang, it's Major Armstrong."

The feeling of dread grew. This was all highly unusual. "Armstrong? What on earth are you doing there this late?"

* * *

Several hours later, he still hadn't gone home. He was wandering aimlessly through the city, alone with his thoughts, when he realized where his feet had taken him. She would be asleep now, he knew. He wasn't even sure what time it was, but it was already nearing midnight when he got the call.

After the events of the evening, he had to see for himself that she was ok, so he approached her door and knocked softly, thinking that right about now, somewhere in Central, Gracia would be waking up to another officer knocking on her door. He heard Black Hayate bark in response to the sound.

Riza jumped out of bed, instantly alert at the sound of her dog barking following the knock on her door. She whispered firmly for Black Hayate to be quiet but get ready. The dog obeyed and stood still, silent, as he watched the door. Riza grabbed her pistol from under her bed and approached the door. She opened it swiftly, gun raised. When she realized who it was, she immediately lowered her gun and took her finger away from the trigger. "Roy? What in the world are you doing here so late?"

Black Hayate, recognizing the visitor, visibly relaxed.

He stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind him. He knew it was unlikely that anyone would be passing by at this time of night to see them, but he'd rather not risk it regardless. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have woken you up, but I had to see for myself that you were alright." He looked at her, a blank expression on his face. Numb was the only word for what he felt right now. "He's dead, Riza. Hughes is dead. They killed him."

Riza stared at him a moment with a confused look. "What? They? Who's 'they'? Roy, what happened?" She was concerned because she hadn't seen this expression on his face since the war. She rested her gun on a nearby table and took his hand, guiding him to her bed so they could sit down.

He followed her obediently to the bed and sat down. "I don't know. He'd found out something big, though, something that had to have been connected to the military because he called from an outside line. But he wasn't there anymore when the operator patched him through. I called back to Central Command and Armstrong told me what had happened." He couldn't shake the image in his mind of Hughes lying in the phone booth in a pool of blood.

Tears filled her eyes. Hughes was dead? Of all people? This was . . . this was crazy. She frowned at him sympathetically. "Oh, Roy. I know that was hard. God, I can hardly believe this. What the hell is going on with the military?!" She was angry now. Her hand clenched into a fist against his back. Black Hayate sat at their feet looking up at them, concerned.

The sight of tears welling up in her eyes was what got him. He could count on one hand the number of times he had seen Riza Hawkeye cry and it got to him every time. He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her hair as he held her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have woken you. I should have let you at least get a good night's sleep before you had to hear about it."

She didn't sob, no. Not in front of him. She knew how close he had been to Hughes. It hurt, yes. But she knew it hurt him more. She shut her eyes and held him to her. Whoever had done this to Hughes would pay dearly for this. His poor wife. His poor daughter. Hughes was so crazy about them. He made the perfect family man. The world seemed a darker place than even before, now that he was no longer in it.

He held her this way for a long while. Having her in his arms, if only for a short time, reminded him that he was not as alone as he felt right now. He slowly let go and pulled back far enough to be able to look at her. He was also thinking of Hughes's wife and daughter. He couldn't begin to imagine what they must be going through. When he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. "I'm sorry to say that it's probably only going to get worse from here. If they've infiltrated Central Command, there's no telling who could be involved. But no matter what happens after this, I want you to always remember how much I love you. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"You make it sound so final. You're not going to die. I won't let that happen. Not ever." She looked fierce as she looked into his eyes. "I love you. I'm going to protect you as long as I'm alive."

He managed a small smile at her words. "I know you will. There is no one I'd trust more to watch my back for me."

She looked at him a moment longer before kissing him. "We will avenge him, Roy. You can count on that. Promise me you won't do anything rash. Promise me that you'll let me help you."

"I promise." He looked into her eyes as he said it, then cupped her face in both hands and kissed her again.

She returned his kiss. She slid her hands through his hair. An urgent heat rushed through her, but she pushed it away. He needed her.

One hand dropped to her waist and he pulled her against him, desperate to close the space between them as he kissed her deeply. Having her here like this reminded him that he was still alive and if he had her, he'd be alright, no matter what came their way.

She pulled away for air after a moment. "You can stay here for a while if you need to. Lie down with me and hold me." She said, bringing him down with her on the bed. "It's going to be all right."

* * *

Hearing the news of Hughes' murder had been hard, but nothing prepared him for the grief he felt the day he watched them lower the coffin into the ground. He'd been to the funerals of other fallen comrades before, but those had always been men who died in battle. This was something else. This was the cold hard murder of a man who had been his best friend for more than a decade; a man who left behind a family he loved more than anything.

Hearing Elicia's cries as they filled the grave had been the hardest. How do you explain to a 3 year old that her father was never coming back?

He struggled with the decision of whether or not to complete his transfer to Central after everything that had happened, but in the end, the possibility of finding the people responsible for Hughes' death strengthened his resolve to do everything he could to rise through the ranks and put a stop to the corruption in their military.

* * *

Shortly after Hughes's death, Roy's transfer to Central Command was finalized. He requested the rest of his unit to transfer with him and General Grumman agreed. Mustang was pleasantly surprised when all five of his subordinates agreed. He had known Hawkeye would accept the transfer without question, but wasn't sure about the other four men.

He finished a last minute call to confirm travel arrangements and looked around the office after he hung up. "Was anyone able to reach Fullmetal?"

"No, sir," Falman answered. "The Elric brothers have been unreachable for the last week."

"Probably on another Philosopher's Stone goose chase," muttered Havoc, leaning back in his chair with an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"Well, we tried." Roy shrugged. "With any luck, it will take the shrimp a while to realize we've all moved. The kid's more trouble than he's worth sometimes."

"You know he's useful though, Colonel," said Riza, who had been done packing for a while now. "His skills are too advanced to ignore."

Now that they were going to Central, it would likely be even harder to be able to see Roy even the few occasions she did now. It was upsetting but she was hopeful that they would find a way to make it work.

"Which is the only reason I put up with his attitude," Mustang said. Truth be told, he had great respect for both Elric brothers, but he enjoyed the antagonistic relationship that he and Ed had developed during the course of the younger alchemist's military career.

Roy got up and stretched. "We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so whenever you're done here, feel free to head home to get everything in order," he told the rest of them. "We'll meet back here first thing in the morning. I have room for a few more boxes in my car if anyone needs the extra space." He had decided to only pack the absolute necessities and some personal belongings such as his alchemy books. He had found an already furnished apartment in Central which saved him the trouble of moving his furniture, which he sold instead.

"I'll take you up on that, Chief," said Havoc. He and Breda had found an apartment together in Central, while Fuery decided to stay in the barracks again. Riza had also found her own quarters in another apartment complex not far from Roy's.

* * *

**The Next Day**

The trip to Central took the entire day. Mustang was exhausted when he dropped Havoc off at the new place he and Breda had found. Breda had arrived already and helped him with the boxes that were in the Colonel's car.

They had a few days off to settle in. Mustang was supposed to visit Aunt Chris and the girls, but after the long trip, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Meanwhile, Havoc began opening boxes to see the contents and sort them by room.

"Why didn't you just label the outside?" Breda had each of his boxes neatly marked as to whether they go to the kitchen, bedroom, living area, etc. and was already putting them in said rooms to be unpacked the next day.

"Too late now," Havoc shrugged.

He opened the next box and didn't recognize any of the contents. Confused, he pulled out a few books that appeared to be text books and came across a couple of framed photographs. One was of Madame Christmas, Chloe, and Vanessa. Havoc realized he had grabbed one of the Colonel's boxes by mistake and began re-packing the box when the second photo caught his eye. It was obviously Mustang as a teenager, smiling and standing side-by-side with his arm around a pretty young girl under the mistletoe. Havoc's jaw dropped when he took a closer look at the girl. "Hey, Breda! Come here and look at this."

Breda raised a brow and approached. He peered over his shoulder curiously. "Is that who I think it is?"

"If you think it's the Colonel and Lieutenant as teenagers, then, yes, I'm pretty sure it is." Havoc smirked. Finally, some answers about how long they had known each other. He started looking through the box for more clues.

At first he thought there was nothing else until he flipped through one of the books and read the inscription 'from the library of Berthold Hawkeye' in the front.

Havoc's eyes widened and he shoved this in Breda's face as well. "Look!" All the pieces were starting to fall together in Havoc's mind.

"Wasn't that the Lieutenant's father? Why does the Colonel have one of his books?"

Havoc shrugged. "I knew the Colonel learned alchemy from her father, it came up a few years back," he explained. "I just never knew for sure how close they were then, but this proves it!"

"Proves what?"

Havoc continued digging through the box, but didn't find much else of interest. "You couldn't possibly tell me you haven't noticed how close they are. There's definitely a lot more going on there than just a professional relationship. The fact that he keeps a framed photo of them celebrating Christmas together from over a decade ago proves it."

"Well I just kinda thought maybe they did know each other before working together. But now that you mention it, it's like they know each other strangely well."

"You don't know the half of it," said Havoc. "You weren't there to see his face when she turned up in Ishval, or a few years ago when that psycho Colonel Herring nearly killed her." He lowered his voice to a whisper as if even speaking the thought aloud was dangerous. "I think they're in love and secretly seeing each other behind our backs."

Breda snorted. "There's no way. They'd never do that."

Havoc looked mildly offended that his friend didn't believe his theory. He'd spent a lot of time piecing this one together from observing the two over the years. He sensed an opportunity. "Want to bet on it?"

Breda laughed haughtily. "You'd lose if I did!"

Havoc narrowed his eyes. "Name your stakes."

"2,000 cens you're wrong." Breda said confidently. "Oh, and no smokes for a week!"

"You're on." Havoc smirked. "Just imagine how many packs I can buy once I win this bet." He extended his hand to shake on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Since we started this chapter on a sad note, we wanted to make it up to you with a bit of humor at the end. Ever since rewatching the series a few years back, we've always had this head canon that the Royai relationship is the worst kept secret in Amestris because everyone figures it out eventually. The look Fuery has when Roy and Riza are arguing like an old married couple in episode 19 kind of confirmed that for us so we've already written a scene in this story showing how we think he would have found out. Our running joke, though, is that everyone knows except Breda. We've already put a few scenes in the last few chapters where he really should have figured it out and didn't.
> 
> We hope you enjoyed the chapter!- J&C


	23. Summer 1914

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter starts in episode 19 immediately after Lust stabs Havoc and Roy and leaves the room. This scene wasn't in our original draft, but we added it after a reviewer request. Now that we've caught up to the series in our story, updates have been taking a bit longer while we rewatch the episodes to check for accuracy in our storyline.

"Jean…? Hey...answer me...Havoc, you can't die! Not yet. Not before I do. Havoc?"

No answer came from the other man and Roy feared the worst.

He lay on his back, one hand pressed to the wound in his torso, trying to staunch the flow of blood. He had to do something and do it quickly or else they'd both bleed out alone in this abandoned laboratory before help could arrive. If help ever arrived…

The only other people down here were Riza and Alphonse and he'd foolishly suggested they split up to cover more ground in their search. The Homunculus, Lust, she'd called herself, had left the room and he could hear her footsteps echoing down the tunnels in the direction the other two had gone.

Even if it was too late for him and he died down here, he wouldn't let anything happen to Riza and Al, not without doing everything in his power to stop it. If only he had an extra pair of ignition gloves...He could cauterize the wound well enough to stop the blood loss and buy time. But he was so used to Riza always carrying backup pairs for him, that he never did anymore and he cursed himself for a fool.

He tried to move into a sitting position and pain wracked his body causing him to fall back to the floor. He cast out his hand to support himself and his fingers closed around the cool metal of Havoc's lighter. In an instant, he knew what he had to do.

Taking a rock from the nearby rubble in his left hand, he used the jagged edge to carve the flame alchemy mark on the back of his right hand. It hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain in his side. When he visualized the transmutation circle, he saw it in his mind's eye not as it appeared on his gloves or on the notes that he had learned it from, but as he had seen it for the first time all those years ago on Riza's back when she had trusted him with the secret after her father's funeral.

She had believed in him more than anyone else ever had and he wouldn't let her down. If nothing else, he could buy time for her to take Al and get out safely.

Shots rang out, echoing down the hallway as he finished the mark and tossed the rock aside. He worked quickly now, fighting to ignore the pain as he undid the buttons at the front of his uniform jacket and shirt. He grit his teeth in anticipation of the pain to come as he took the lighter and used it to spark a transmutation and cauterize the wound in his side.

The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before, but so was the fear...Not fear of what would happen to him if he didn't succeed, but fear of what would happen to Riza, Al, and Havoc.

The shots had stopped now and the silence that followed spurred him on as he fought to stand without falling back to the ground. He took a few small steps to Havoc's side and knelt down to sear his wound shut as well to keep him from bleeding out before he could get medical attention. It was the best he could do for him for now.

He pushed himself back up and gripped his side as he started down the hall in the direction the shots had come from. He hoped he wasn't already too late…

* * *

He winced as the doctor bandaged his side and looked over at the still figure of the other room's occupant. Havoc hadn't moved since they brought him in. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's lost a lot of blood and the wound came dangerously close to the nerves in his spine. There is a possibility he could be paralyzed, but it would have been much worse if you hadn't sealed the wound."

Roy nodded to show he understood, still grimacing at the pain in his own side and in the back of his hand where he had carved the transmutation circle.

The doctor packed up and opened the door to let Hawkeye back in. Mustang waited for the doctor's footsteps to fade away down the hallway before he looked at her.

"What the hell were you thinking just giving up like that?" he demanded in a heated whisper. "I don't even want to think about what could have happened if Al hadn't been there to protect you, or if I hadn't gotten there when I did."

She glared at him. "She was a freak of nature. What else was I supposed to think? The only weapon I had did nothing to affect her!" She whispered back, with just as much heat. She was still so relieved she felt like she could cry at any given moment. Her nerves had nearly lost control. She needed to get a hold of herself.

"Al was giving you time to get out, but you told him to leave you there." He said in an accusing tone. He had heard the conversation echoing down the hallway as he approached.

She was quiet. "You don't have to understand my reasoning behind it completely. But all I could think was how pointless I felt my life would be without you in it."

His expression softened slightly. He knew exactly what she meant. He'd been terrified when he thought he might lose her earlier that day. When she had been attacked by Gluttony, all he could think of was Hughes lying in that phone booth.

"So you want me to just leave you and Fuery to die instead of blowing my cover, but you're allowed to just give up when some freak told you she killed me? What sense does that make?"

She wanted to scream at him. But she looked at Havoc unconscious and decided against it. She just sighed. "Do you want me to leave? You're obviously fine if you can be so angry with me."

"No, I don't want you to leave." he said, still in an argumentative tone. He took a deep breath, then winced at the pain in his ribs when he did so. He sighed. "Look, Riza." his tone was much calmer now. "I just need to know that if something did happen to me, you'll be strong enough to carry on. I don't want you throwing your life away, too."

"I can't think about losing you right now." She said brusquely. "I just can't." She glared at the wall ahead of her.

He stared ahead at the wall as well, arms folded across his chest. The longer he thought about it the more he started to realize him acting like this about it wasn't helping anything. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "If I had been in your place, I probably would have been the same way. The only reason I was able to withstand the pain to carve the transmutation circle and cauterize my wound was the thought of what would happen to you and to Havoc if I didn't."

She sighed and looked at him. "I'm sorry I gave up like that. It was just so devastating. They killed Hughes, or at least they know who did. So, when she said you were dead I believed her."

"She probably thought she had. She definitely did quite a number on me at any rate." He gave her a small smile and held out a hand, beckoning her closer since he was stuck in the hospital bed.

She gazed at him as she neared his bed. Her hand lightly touched his. "I'm so . . . so glad you're alright."

He smiled. "Me, too. It was definitely a close call." He took her hand and pulled her closer. He leaned up to kiss her but pulled back abruptly when Havoc groaned. He dropped her hand and looked over at the other man. Perfect timing as always. If Roy wasn't so happy that Havoc was still alive, he'd kill him himself.

Riza steadied her heart beat and coughed a bit. She hoped there wasn't a tinge of red on her cheeks. She took a step back and moved over to Havoc's bedside. "Are you with us once more, Lieutenant?"

"Hawkeye?" Havoc groaned and opened his eyes. "Where are we? I feel like I got run over by a tank."

"Try stabbed by a Homunculus," said Roy. "Me, too. Definitely not an experience I care to repeat."

"Leave it to you to date one. All for the boobs." Riza rolled her eyes. "She used you. And she almost killed you both. You owe the Colonel your life since he nearly died saving yours!"

"What else is new?" Havoc shrugged. "I don't suppose they'd let me have a cigarette in here, would they?"

"Probably not. Your lighter got blown up earlier anyway."

"Oh yeah." He paused. "Is now a good time to mention that I can't feel my legs?" He said it in a strangely calm manner.

Riza frowned at Havoc. "I'm going to go find the doctor. You need to be seen now that you're awake." She swiftly turned and walked out the door to do so.

Mustang and Havoc sat in silence while they waited for her return. Roy was internally beating himself up for allowing something like this to happen to one of his subordinates. The doctor had mentioned there was a chance of paralysis, but he had hoped he was wrong.

The doctor returned with a few nurses and they wheeled Havoc away to run some tests.

"It will be my fault if he can never walk again," he said quietly to Riza once they were gone. "I never should have organized that mission. And it was my idea to split up under the lab."

She sighed and grabbed his hand. "It wasn't your fault. It was that homunculus. She did that to him. Not you. You saved him. And you destroyed her. Feeling guilty about something you didn't inflict or cause is only going to drive you crazy." She attempted a smile. "And I've had enough of crazy men to last me a lifetime."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Thanks for reading! We are down to less than 10 chapters left now and our next one will be up in just a few days. -J&C


	24. Fall 1914

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter earns it's M rating. If you don't like lemons, you may want to skip it.

Roy was eventually released from the hospital and cleared to return to work. Havoc, however, was kept in the hospital and they were told that any chance he may return were slim.

His absence at the office was felt. It was much quieter without Havoc and not in a good way. Roy was silently working through the pile of files on his desk when his phone rang. Eager for the distraction, he answered on the second ring.

"Colonel Mustang." He paused while the other party talked, a grave expression on his face. "I see." Another pause. He scribbled something down. "Yes, I'll send someone over right away. Thank you." He hung up and tore the paper off the notepad. "Fuery!"

The sergeant jumped and approached the desk. "Sir?"

"Seems there has been a prison break. I've got the address written down here. I need you to go see what you can find out."

* * *

Fuery returned a few hours later and gave his report, all color drained from his face. "The escaped was one Dmitri Jackson, convicted crime lord. His cellmate was more than happy to answer all my questions. Seems Jackson knocked him out and made his escape and the cellmate was pretty ticked off he left him." Fuery frowned and opened a file folder he held. "These were found under his bed. Seems he's pretty obsessed with the soldier who put him away." He laid the folder on Mustang's desk and spread the content out: newspaper clippings all featuring Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye.

Roy frowned.

"Seems like a grade A creep to me," said Breda.

"There's more." Fuery said after some hesitation. "He left this."

He produced an envelope addressed to Hawkeye and passed it to her. Inside was a short note. 'Miss Me?' was all that was written on the enclosed letter, followed by Jackson's signature.

Riza read the creepy note with a serious expression on her face, then looked at them. "Well. He's after me. Eventually he'll find me-and that's when we grab him." She didn't seem terribly concerned for her own safety.

Roy was silent, still looking at the newspaper clippings on his desk. He remembered the case even though he and his men hadn't been involved. It had been Armstrong's case and Hawkeye had been helping his team out as a sniper during the raid. When Jackson had escaped Armstrong's men through a back entrance, she had put a bullet through his foot, preventing his escape. If it hadn't had been for her, he probably would have gotten away.

He stood up abruptly. "Right. Let's go." He walked off, expecting the rest to follow him and they did. They piled into his car, Roy driving with Hawkeye riding shotgun and Fuery wedged between Breda and Falman in the back.

Fortunately for the young sergeant, it was a short ride to Madame Christmas's bar, which was where they stopped. Mustang turned off the car and got out to go inside.

Riza followed suit. She recognized the place after a moment. She followed Roy anyway. When they were inside, she gave him a quizzical look. "Colonel, what are we doing here? Does your aunt have intel or something?" she asked out of hearing range of the others.

Madame Christmas looked up when they entered, confused for a moment. It didn't last long, however. She and Roy had previously discussed using the upstairs apartment in emergencies and she had already heard about the breakout from one of her sources. "I'm guessing this has something to do with a certain crime lord."

Roy gave a curt nod and turned to Riza. " 'We' are doing nothing. You are going to stay here in the safe house upstairs while the rest of us go stake out your apartment till this creep shows up."

The other three looked at each other, bracing themselves for the explosion that was sure to follow such a statement.

Riza glared at him. "This is a joke, right? You can't be serious! You know just as well as I do that I can fend just fine for myself!"

"He broke out of prison to come after you. There is no sense in letting him get anywhere near you." Roy reasoned.

"I'm the one who caught him before! Who says I can't just do it again?"

Madame Christmas watched with amusement. These two were so perfect for each other. It was so obvious.

"I'm not saying you couldn't do it, but I am saying you're not going to. Don't you remember what happened the last time you deliberately put yourself in the path of a serial killer?"

The other three took a step back, lest he remember their involvement in that particular situation.

"That was different and you know it! How the hell was anyone supposed to know there was more than one? If it had been just the one, that wouldn't have even happened!"

"Give me one good reason why I should let you put yourself at risk other than the fact that you just want to take him down again. We can handle that without you."

"I'm sure you could. It's being locked up in a room like I'm some sort of delicate twig that can't handle a normal mission with the rest of her comrades! Why do I have to hide? I'm no coward!" she yelled.

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to fight the headache that was threatening to begin. He'd known she'd be stubborn about it, but he was not about to let her anywhere near the guy. There was only one thing for it, then. He sighed and looked at her. "First Lieutenant Hawkeye, as your superior officer, I'm ordering you off this mission. You will stay in the safe house until we come back."

Riza was so angry that she was speechless. She gave him a hateful look and a salute before storming up the stairs.

Madam Christmas whistled. "Now you've done it."

"It's for her own good." he said. He turned and saw the other three staring at him. "What?"

The men looked at each other. Breda was the one who spoke. "Nothing. Just thinking you're either a lot braver or a lot dumber than you look for saying that to her."

"Probably the latter." Roy sighed. He had regretted saying it the moment the words were out of his mouth and he saw the look on her face. "I'm going to go talk to her, you guys go ahead and start setting up surveillance on her place. I'll catch up." He tossed the keys to Falman and headed for the stairs.

"It was nice knowing you, Boss." said Breda, who obviously thought going after her at this point was the equivalent of walking into the lion's den.

Roy disappeared up the stairs and the door slammed behind him. He didn't find her in the living room and headed for his old bedroom.

Riza had drawn his face on a piece of paper and taped it to a pillow. Her jacket was off and she was punching the hell out of the pillow. "Stupid! So stupid! So unfair! How dare he?!" She grumbled angrily with each punch. Under normal circumstances, she would just shoot something. But seeing as she was a guest here, albeit an unwilling one, she didn't want to be rude.

Roy stood in the doorway, watching her with one eyebrow raised. "Is that really necessary? Granted, I do prefer that to actually punching me."

She grabbed the pillow and threw it at him. "How could you do this? Pulling rank on ME? What the hell, Roy?!"

He caught the pillow and tossed it aside. "I know. I'm sorry, but it was for your own good."

She stood up. "I'm a specially trained officer in the Amestris armed forces! I am the best sniper in Central! You are treating me like a defenseless child!"

"Riza, I'm trying to protect you!" he yelled back. "We just lost Havoc and I've seen what this Jackson guy has done to people. If he broke out to come after you, I don't want you anywhere near him."

"But you would be there this time! Don't you understand? Havoc is still alive. And so am I! Do you know how humiliating it was to be told I had to stay put like I'm in a damn time-out in front of everyone? You didn't even run this by me! You gave me no warning, no chance to plead my case! Gah, you're SO lucky I was only punching the damn pillow!"

He didn't know how to respond to that, so he did the first thing he thought of. He kissed her, pulling her against him. He figured if he could get her to stop yelling for a minute, he might actually be able to get a word in.

Riza fell into the kiss for a moment before pulling back. She was still angry, and looked it. "If you think this means I forgive you, then you have another thing coming, Roy Mustang!"

He smirked slightly and kissed her again, harder this time, stepping forward until her back was pressed against the wall behind her. One hand held the back of her head to keep it from hitting the wall and he used it to remove her hair from its clip as he kissed her. After a moment, he barely pulled back. "Temporary truce?" he said against her lips.

She felt so helpless and angry that he had this effect on her. She looked up at him. "Just let me come with you. What if you need me?"

"How about a compromise?" he suggested. "I don't have to go, either. The rest of the team can handle it." It was probably for the best. If he got anywhere near Jackson, he'd be tempted to incinerate him on the spot. Mustang didn't take threats against any of his team members lightly, particularly when they were against Riza. She had always been his weak spot. And besides, he could think of much more pleasant things he'd rather be doing right now.

She looked at him curiously. "You think they can do it without you? Won't they think it's suspicious if you stay behind with me alone?"

"They'll just think you're still yelling at me." He shrugged. "But if you really want me to go..." He took a step back.

"I didn't say you shouldn't... I just don't know if you've thought it through."

He smirked. "So what are you saying then?" He stepped closer to her again.

Riza was flustered. If she allowed him to seduce her it would be like accepting defeat. And Riza Hawkeye did not go down without a fight. Ever. However, how often did they have opportunities like this one? Why did it have to appear when she was furious with him? The universe hated her. That had to be it.

When she didn't say anything, he sighed. "Riza, I'm sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have pulled rank on you, and I shouldn't have brought you here without telling you what we were doing. I was just worried about you and I overreacted." He leaned in and kissed her gently, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Forgive me?"

Riza sighed. She smiled slightly. "I guess I do." _Because you admitted you were wrong_! She inwardly chanted.

"Good." He smiled back at her. "So what do you say we stop wasting time?" He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her again.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back passionately.

He was relieved when she kissed him back, feeling like a weight had been lifted. He hated fighting with her more than just about anything else. He was already working on removing his uniform jacket as he kissed her. When it dropped to the floor, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He was very glad his aunt had never gotten around to doing anything with his old room and had left it the way it was when he left all those years ago.

Her arms moved around his neck. They stayed there when he laid her on the bed and she pulled him down towards her till their lips met once more. She could feel her need for him growing with every second, with every touch of his hand. Her back instinctively arched so she was pressed against his muscled stomach and chest.

His hands wandered to the hem of her shirt and his fingers brushed lightly against her skin. He pulled away from her mouth and trailed kisses along her cheek and jaw before reaching her neck. "Any hidden weapons I need to be aware of before we continue this?"

She moaned and chuckled slightly. "No. I put them all over there to avoid shooting anything important." She pointed to a night stand table. She turned her head to nibble on his ear.

"Good." He whisked her shirt off over her head and tossed it aside before crushing his lips to hers once more.

A thin sports bra covered her breasts. She moaned a bit and snuck bites on his lip when she could as they kissed. She moved her hips up against his encouragingly.

He groaned slightly in response and pushed his hips back against her, reciprocating the action. Her bra shortly joined her shirt on the floor. He looked at her, his gaze a mixture of lust and love. "God, you're so beautiful." he murmured. He still couldn't believe he was lucky enough to call this amazing woman his and that he was hers. It didn't matter how many times they did this. To him, it always felt like the first time. His hands moved to cover her breasts, soon followed by his mouth.

Riza sighed and moaned his name. Her body coiled and writhed against his. She moved to pull his shirt off and did so, swiftly. She could feel the place where he'd been stabbed and had seared his wound. They both had scars now. She loved him even more for it. She ran her hands along his strong back, clutching, scratching, massaging where she could reach. She couldn't get enough of him. She had to pull him closer. He never seemed close enough.

His hands roamed freely over her body, touching every inch of her within his reach. He returned his mouth to hers once more as his hands found her belt buckle and opened it. He began sliding her pants down her hips.

Riza could feel the throbbing between her legs. She was so wet for him. She told him this by whispering it in his ear. She began to undo his belt and push at his pants. She wanted him so badly that she felt she'd go crazy without him inside her soon.

Roy could feel himself grow harder at her words. "I love when you talk like that," he managed to get out between kisses to her neck and chest. He got her pants off and helped her to get his off as well. He slipped a hand inside her underwear, using his fingers to tease her a bit more.

She pushed herself into his hand, whimpering slightly. She was overcome with need. She leaned up to bite and kiss his neck and shoulders. She moaned his name.

He could feel how wet she was as he pushed a finger into her, moving in and out slowly. He couldn't help but feel a little pride at the fact that he had this effect on the usually stoic Riza Hawkeye.

"Oh, God!" She moaned. She squirmed beneath him and reached a hand to stroke his cock. She swirled her hand around it and then pumped up and down as she twitched and bucked under him. She whimpered how badly she wanted him and begged for him to enter her.

He was more than happy to comply and set about getting her panties off, followed by his boxers. Once the final barrier was gone, he gripped her hips gently but firmly and entered her in one fluid motion.

She sighed and moaned and began moving her hips in a rhythm against his. "Oh, yes! Roy, ah, you feel so good!"

He matched her rhythm. "Ah, Riza." One hand traveled down her leg and to the back of her knee, bending it slightly to get better leverage as he continued to move in and out of her at a steady pace.

She met him with every movement. She moved her hand down to touch herself while he moved in and out of her. The amazing sensation it caused was almost too much to bear. She moaned again and used her other hand to hold his thigh, where she could reach. "God, I love you so much. Mmm."

The sight of her touching herself mixed with the sounds of her moan almost did him in. He speeds up his pace and nudged her hand out of the way, replacing it with his own.

Her now free hand flew above her head to clutch the pillow. She moaned louder. She could feel her climax fast approaching. "Ah, I'm going to cum, Roy!" She gasped, her nails digging into the pillow as it hit her hard. She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming as she was taken to a whole new high.

His mouth crashed against hers in a passionate kiss. A few more thrusts and he finished inside of her. He was breathing heavily as he slowly broke the kiss. "That was amazing," he murmured against her neck.

"I agree." She smiled and kissed his cheek. "That was wonderful." She wiped the sweat from her forehead and gazed at him affectionately.

He kissed her softly on the lips and pulled out of her, moving to the side. He lay next to her and draped an arm over her waist, using it to pull her against him. He wished they could stay like this forever. He hated that they must sneak around to be together.

She sighed and nuzzled his neck. She knew they didn't have much time to be like this. She wished she loved him enough to let him go so he could be with someone who he could do so with freely and openly. Not in dark alleys, or late nights in the darkness. But she couldn't. She was far too selfish. Unless he wanted her to stop, unless he didn't want her anymore, she would always be willing. Always be his.

"I love you," he said as she nuzzled his neck. "You know, if someone had told me the day I left here to go study with your father that I was going to fall in love with his daughter and that we would end up having the world's most complicated relationship but she would be the one truly good thing in my life, I would have thought they were crazy. But I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Her vision blurred. Tears pooled in her eyes but they never made it down her face. "I don't deserve you. I hate that I've just made life more difficult for you."

He appeared concerned when he saw the tears in her eyes. He cupped her face with one hand and looked into her eyes. "Hey, now. Don't you start thinking like that. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. If one of us doesn't deserve the other, then it's me that doesn't deserve you."

She chuckled. "We'll argue till we die about this then."

"Which is hopefully a long way off for both of us." He sighed.

She caressed his face and looked at him tenderly. "We'll pull through. We must. We're both way too stubborn not to."

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We should probably get dressed before anyone comes looking for us."

Riza nodded. "You're right." She started to sit up and reach for her undergarments.

* * *

Meanwhile, the other three had already managed to catch Jackson in the act of trying to break into Hawkeye's apartment and arrested him.

"Wonder where the Colonel is?" Fuery wondered aloud as they watched him get loaded into the military police vehicle.

"Probably still getting chewed out by Hawkeye." Breda shrugged. "Or she shot him. That's always an option, too," he joked.

"I'll call down to the bar and see if he's left yet. We can wait for him if he's on his way and if not, just let the Madame know that we have it under control and she can pass the info along." Falman said, heading for the phone booth. He returned a few moments later. "She said he was still there and she'll pass the message along, so I guess we're done here."

* * *

When they were done getting dressed, they made their way downstairs. Madame Christmas was at the bar, having a smoke. She smiled at them. "One of your men just called and said they apprehended the escapee. You're in the clear, dear." She looked at Riza.

Riza looked at Mustang menacingly. "I bet he was easy to catch."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand dismissively. "Still better safe than sorry." He noticed his aunt observing them with a knowing smile. There never was any use trying to put something past her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just to give perspective on where we are at this point in the story: this chapter is the last before Bradley disbands the Mustang unit. It's been 12 years since chapter 1 when Roy and Riza first met as teenagers and 5 years since Ishval ended.
> 
> Thank you for reading! We hope you're enjoying our take on filling in the gaps left by the manga and anime. -J&C


	25. November 1914

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The Havoc and Riza dialogue from in the second half of this chapter comes directly from the FMA:Brotherhood English dub of episode 45. We just want to be sure to give proper credit where it's due.

**November 1914**

It happened without warning. One day, the Mustang Unit was fully intact, minus Havoc who had begun the process of completing his medical discharge papers. The next, they were separated and sent across Amestris. Falman was sent north to Briggs, Breda to the West, and Fuery to the South. Between the border disputes with Drachma, Creta, and Aerugo, they were all areas on the brink of war and Mustang knew there was more to the new placements than just separating his team. In these places where border skirmishes were common, it would be all too easy for the Fuhrer to make any one of them disappear in a supposed ambush by the enemy.

Though Riza wasn't in an active war zone, she was in the most danger. Bradley had taken her as his personal assistant, effectively making her a hostage to ensure Roy's cooperation. Mustang blamed himself for that and for anything that may happen to one of his men. He'd been too quick to trust General Raven and it had been his downfall.

Despite her new position so close to the Fuhrer, it had been only slightly difficult for Riza to get away. There was a decent amount of downtime here and there in between her duties as assistant to the Fuhrer. Every day was heartache that she was separated from her team, from her love. But, she managed to keep her poker face on while at work so as not to give Bradley any form of satisfaction with her displeasure.

On this day, she had received word that Havoc had accepted his fate and once he left the hospital, he would retire from the military. She knew him well and so she knew it was a difficult choice for someone like him. The war had affected everyone involved, and even though it was the most horrific time of their lives, it was something that had made itself a part of their beings. It was what made them who they were. And now Havoc had to let that go, be crippled, and always be haunted without much ability to take action.

She knocked gently on the door to his room, which was already open, and poked her head inside. She wore a smile, trying to keep him from seeing the pity. "Hey, there. How are you feeling?" she greeted.

Havoc looked up from the papers he'd been reading over at the sound of her knock. "I can honestly say I've been better," he said with a slight smile. He set the papers on the bedside table and motioned for her to come sit in the chair next to the bed. "It's nice to see a friendly face, though."

She sighed, her smile faltering slightly. "I know what you mean." She sat down in the chair next to his bed. She hadn't seen even Roy's face for a while now. Perhaps in the corner of her eye in passing through the halls, but she never got to just look at him anymore. And now, she was afraid to do so. Her team being gone so suddenly wasn't helping, either. As quirky as they were, she missed them almost as much.

Havoc gave her a sympathetic look. "I heard what happened. Breda came to see me after his orders came in. He brought me those and ordered me not to get lazy," he said, nodding toward the hand weights in the corner. "Fuery and Falman both came by before they left, too. Then the Colonel came yesterday. He doesn't look like he's been sleeping. Probably still blames himself for what happened to me and now he's got everyone else to worry about." Havoc sighed and looked at her. "You don't look like you've been sleeping well, either, Hawkeye. You holding up alright?"

Curse him for being so observant. She was trying so hard to appear fine. She gave a weak nod. "You know me. I'm just fine. Sure, not being with them is a bit of an adjustment. But I'm surviving. That's usually the most important thing." The news that Roy looked like he hadn't been sleeping bothered her. It would be in his nature to torture himself about what happened. She missed him so much, especially now knowing for sure that he wasn't doing as well as he could be.

He frowned. "I understand. Still, make sure you're taking care of yourself, alright?"

"I'm doing what I can, Havoc. I promise." she smiled a little. "So, what are your plans for retirement? Anything special?"

"I'm going to move back East. My folks run a general store, figure I might be of some use there at least. Might go see some of our old friends at Eastern Command on my way through. See how Grumman is at least, " he said, hinting at his plans to pass the message along to the General about what had happened here.

"I see. Sounds like you'll be pretty busy. Speaking of back East, Rebecca is coming into town in a couple days. We're having lunch." Riza said. She had heard the hint loud and clear.

"Really? Oh man, I haven't seen Catalina in forever. Tell her I said hi and that maybe I'll come see her when I move back. It feels like it's been a lifetime since the three of us used to hang out during our academy days," he said, smiling at the memory, but the smile didn't last long. "Can't believe it's already over for me," he said with a sigh. "I guess the one good thing to come out of this is that I still have my freedom this way. They can't send me anywhere I don't want to go now that I'm officially out."

Riza smiled, the memories coming back to her as well. "That's true. That's certainly an advantage you hold over the rest of us. Guess that makes you a lucky man."

Havoc nodded slightly. "You know….there is one other good thing that came out of this," he said with a mischievous smirk.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Now that I'm not in the military anymore, you're out of excuses not to let me take you on a date."

Riza froze for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "You still smoke, Havoc." She smirked, gesturing to the half empty pack of cigarettes on the stand by his bed. This joke never got old with him, did it?

He chuckled. "Oh, that's right. That was your other condition, wasn't it?" he said referring to the night he and his friend Trevor had run into Riza and Rebecca at the bar during their academy days. It'd been seven years since then and they'd come so far during that time. They'd made it through the academy and Ishval together and they'd always had each other's backs in the years that had passed since then. "You know, I always did sort of have a thing for you," he admitted, all joking aside.

Riza blinked. "What? Are you serious?" she asked. She looked into his eyes and could see he was no longer joking. Her cheeks felt warm and her eyes flew to the floor. "Havoc, I...don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I already know I don't stand a chance against a man like the Colonel."

She swore her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly her pulse was racing. "What? What the hell are you talking about, Havoc?" Her voice was almost shaking, but she somehow managed to keep it steady. Had they been discovered? Did anyone else know?

Havoc wasn't buying her feigned ignorance. "Don't worry, I'm not going to say anything to anyone about it. I just wanted you to know how I felt before I leave."

She could've kept going, kept pretending. But she knew he wouldn't buy it. If anyone else did know, clearly nobody had told on them as of yet. She could trust Havoc. She and Roy both could. She sighed, looking a tad embarrassed for a moment. "Well, thank you, Jean. You've always been a good friend to me, and I couldn't have asked for a better competitor at the academy than you." She laid her hand gently on his for a moment, then let it slide off as she stood up to go. "I'll give your regards to Rebecca when I see her. Have a safe trip home. And once you're there you'd better write me, or else I'll come make you. I'll be the blonde with the gun."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything less. Take care of yourself, Riza."

She nodded. "You, too, Jean." She smiled at him, then made her way out the door and back to the real world.

* * *

It seemed like it was the week for having visitors.

Havoc wasn't surprised to see Roy Mustang when he turned up again a few days later. The Colonel had made a habit of checking on him every few days at least to make sure he had everything he needed. His compassion and concern for his subordinates had always been part of what made him such a good leader. Havoc had always thought so, anyway.

He didn't blame Mustang at all for what had happened to him. It was only thanks to him that he was still here at all and he knew he would do anything in his power to help him make this country a better place, even if he wasn't as useful as he once was due to his lack of mobility these days.

Roy's visits to Havoc had been getting longer recently. Before, he would just stop by for a few minutes to check on him. Now, he'd pull up the chair and sit for a while, talking.

Havoc suspected that had something to do with the Colonel's now empty office.

Roy had settled into the seat and they had made it through the usual questions about Havoc's well-being before he started giving updates of his own on the current situation in Central.

"General Armstrong is in town now, " he was saying. "She challenged the Major to a duel for the family estate. Left half the place in ruins from what I've heard."

Havoc chuckled. "That sounds about right."

"She said the Elric brothers were just up north at Briggs, but they…" Mustang cut off abruptly at the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. He stood and pulled the privacy curtain closed while Havoc watched in confusion.

"What're you-?" he stopped when he received a warning look from Roy before he disappeared behind the curtain again.

The footsteps drew closer and stopped outside of his room to knock.

"Come in!" he called from the bed.

He was surprised to see her again so soon when their last conversation had sounded so much like a farewell. He understood Roy's actions now, though, and he noticed Riza's eyes rest briefly on the curtain when she opened the door as if she could sense what was behind it. She didn't say a word about it, though, as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Hey there, Hawkeye. Can't say I was expecting to see you today."

"I wanted to stop by and see how you were doing," she said. "I heard the discharge paperwork went through. What are you planning to do now?"

Havoc's brow furrowed in confusion. Hadn't they just had this conversation earlier this week? Something was off, but he knew she must have her reasons, so he went along with it.

"I'm waiting on my condition to stabilize. Then I'm thinking about going back East."

"Really? We'll miss you around here." She reached into her purse, rummaging through it as she looked for something. "I wish I had a better going away gift, but I'm sure you'll like this." She held up a pack of cigarettes. "Here you go. Only one per day, though."

"Aw, thanks, Lieutenant. I was just about to run out."

She smiled and turned to go. "I'll drop in again soon."

"Thank you!"

She was halfway to the door when she stopped and turned. "Oh. Rebecca wanted me to say hello for her." She took a few more steps and her hand was on the doorknob when she turned again. "Oh, and tell the Colonel I said hi."

The door shut behind her with a click.

"You heard the lady," Havoc said, looking toward the curtain as he pulled one cigarette from the carton. "She says hi."

He smirked when he noticed the rolled piece of paper hidden among the cigarettes in the carton. Perhaps he could be useful in his condition after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Fun fact: the original 2015 draft of this story didn't include any of the scenes that hinted at Havoc having feelings for Riza. In fact, Riza's academy days weren't in the first draft at all. When we started editing the story with the intent of publishing, we found some timeline errors in the original draft. When we corrected those by adding in new scenes to make the timeline accurate, the first hint of Havoc's feelings just came out naturally and then we ran with it.
> 
> In terms of story timeline, this chapter goes along with episode 45 when Rebecca slips the note about the Promised Day in Hayate's collar, Riza takes the note to Havoc hidden in the cigarettes, and Havoc gives it to Roy. Both Brotherhood and the manga skip quite a few months between this scene and the arrival of Spring when the Promised Day occurs, so we've got a few chapters coming your way to help fill in those gap months with what we think happened.
> 
> Thanks for reading! -J&C


	26. Chapter 26

**December 1914**

_He was alone in the darkness. No matter which way he looked, it was pitch black as far as the eye could see…. until she appeared._

" _Riza!" he called out and she turned to look at him, a smile breaking out across her face._

_It didn't last._

_As suddenly as she had appeared, Bradley appeared behind her, sword already drawn._

" _NO!"_

_Roy took a step toward her, but he was already too late. He watched in horror as the blade pierced her torso from behind and the blood flowed freely._

_The blade was withdrawn just as quickly and she collapsed in a heap at the Fuhrer's feet. He looked at Roy with a triumphant smile and vanished._

" _RIZA!" He rushed forward and dropped to his knees at her side, pulling her into his arms and trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood. Then she vanished as well and he was left staring at his empty hands, his white gloves stained red, obscuring the transmutation circle on them._

Roy woke in a cold sweat, but he wasn't surprised. It was the same every night. The method of her death changed sometimes, but it always ended the same: with her blood staining his hands.

He'd fallen asleep sitting up in a chair in his living room. That wasn't a surprise either. He could never quiet his mind long enough to fall asleep in his bed, so he worked himself into exhaustion each day and often woke in strange places.

He stood and stretched, moving his head back and forth to ease the pain in his neck. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but it couldn't have been that long if it was still dark outside. By the light of the moon, he was barely able to read the face of his pocket watch and knew it was just after 3 a.m.

There was no point in trying to go back to sleep now, so he smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes and ran a hand through his hair to get it to lay flat again before grabbing his keys and the bundle of flowers from the kitchen table.

He'd planned to visit in the morning anyway, but what better time than while the rest of the world was sleeping?

It was a short drive to the cemetery and he didn't have any problems finding the grave even in the dark. He'd been here so many times recently, after all. There weren't really many other places he could go without risking being followed. Here, it was too open for anyone to get close without him noticing. That's why he'd chosen it as the place for his meeting with Grumman a few weeks before.

Someone else had been here since his last visit. The new bundle of flowers on Hughes's grave were proof of that. He knelt to place his own flowers beside it and something caught his eye: a bit of white among the colored blossoms.

Curiosity got the better of him and he carefully pulled the piece of paper from the other bundle of flowers. It was a small scrap of paper, ripped from something else and folded in half. He unfolded it carefully with one hand and reached the other into his pocket to slip on his ignition glove. A snap of his fingers and he had enough light to read the note by.

It was unsigned, but he'd recognize the handwriting anywhere. Suddenly he didn't feel so exhausted anymore.

He read the note once more, then set it on fire, letting the ashes fall to the ground. He bent down and pulled one purple flower from the bunch and strode off down the rows of graves back toward his car with a renewed sense of purpose.

Roy spent most of the morning looking for an opportunity before it finally presented itself just after lunch. He was on his way back to his office when he saw her from the corner of his eye coming down a hallway and he abruptly changed directions, heading toward the military records room instead so that he would have to pass her.

He kept his eyes forward as if he didn't notice her, but as he passed her, he slipped his left hand from his pocket and pressed something into her right hand without even a moment's pause.

Riza noticed him immediately, but didn't look directly at him. She could see him getting closer. A small, naive part of her thought he would actually try to talk to her. The other, more rational side of her wanted to shake her head at him and scream at him to quit being an idiot and stay away from her or else he'd get hurt.

She continued to not make any eye contact as she kept moving, then, as he passed, she felt something being pushed into her hand. She immediately clenched her fingers together to hide whatever it was. She continued on until she came around the next corner. She made sure the coast was clear before opening her hand. She gazed upon the purple flower, and relief washed over her as she allowed herself to smile. He'd found it. She wasn't sure if he would.

* * *

**Two days earlier**

Riza pushed her apartment door open and was greeted by Hayate, who as always was happy to see her. She smiled and scratched his ears before setting her belongings down. After running him outside and back, she commenced making herself some kind of dinner to eat. Hayate sat at her feet, watching her closely. She smiled down at him. "Don't look so worried, Hayate. I'm fine."

Hayate twitched his nose.

"What? Don't believe me?" she asked, hand flying to her hip. After intense staring, she took a piece of meat from her concoction and flung it down towards him. He caught it right in his mouth and trotted off to go indulge himself. "Hmph. You only wanted the food!"

She sighed. This was her daily routine. Work, come home, feed her dog, go to bed. She missed the days she could bring her dog to work. She missed her old team. The days were full of anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness. She put her food to the side to let it cool.

Right after she did that, her phone started to ring. She looked at it curiously and picked up. "Hawkeye, here."

"Hey, Riza!" a male voice greeted on the other end.

"Havoc?" she replied. She sat on her couch. "This is unexpected."

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Well, no. Just eating with my dog. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Do I need a reason to call an old friend?" Havoc joked. "I haven't heard from you in a while, so I wanted to catch up. I don't know about you, but quite a bit has changed on my end since we last spoke. I've gotten all settled back home and started helping out at my family's general store. Oh, and I've kind of been seeing a couple girls I met. Nothing serious, though."

She rolled her eyes. He wanted to randomly call and talk about his love life? She was certainly not in the mood for that kind of talk, but she couldn't very well hang up on him. Yet. "Oh, really? Anyone I know?"

"You might. They both used to live in Central. Kate lives in the south now and Hanna is in the west. It's been a bit of a long-distance relationship," he said casually. "They both know the Colonel, though. You know how much of a womanizer he is. Apparently neither one of them ever heard from him again after they moved away."

Riza sat up a little straighter, her full attention now on this conversation. She knew exactly who Kate and Hanna were. "Well, as far as I know, the Colonel has had his hands tied up a bit in work. Especially paperwork, seeing as how I haven't been around to do it for him these days. I'll be sure to tell him how many hearts he's broken next time I see him."

Fuery and Breda were awaiting orders from Mustang, but hadn't heard anything. Of course they would be able to talk to Havoc since he wasn't under constant surveillance. She had to figure out a way to get intel to Mustang. What could she do that would go unnoticed?

"Glad to hear it," Havoc said, knowing she'd gotten the message. "How have things been for you these days?"

Their conversation went on for a little longer, but then she hung up the phone and returned to her food. Her mind was racing. What could she do? How could she talk to him? It would be a high risk, no matter the method. But she had to do something. She had to try, at least.

She wracked her mind for what felt like ages, brainstorming possible communication methods that were safest. She glanced around her apartment, eyes falling on random things. Photographs, furniture, and the flowers on her coffee table to be specific. Her eyes lingered on the flowers. She stared for a few minutes, then an idea clicked.

She finished her meal and grabbed her things. She took a piece of paper and scribbled something down before putting it in her bag and heading for her door. She was on her way to the neighborhood florist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We know from episode 18 and 19 that Jean Havoc's code name is Jacqueline and Kain Fuery is Kate. Since Breda wasn't on that mission, we had to create one for him ourselves and since the others are women's names that start with the same initial as their first name, we decided Heymans=Hanna.
> 
> We know this chapter is a bit shorter than normal, but we hope the frequent updates this week made up for it and we hope you enjoyed the chapter!-J&C


	27. January and February 1915

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter earns it's M rating with a graphic lemon. If that's not your cup of tea, you may want to skip that.

**January 1915**

' _Elizabeth, Kate, and Hanna are all waiting to hear from you."_

He'd burned the note after he read it, but he could still see it as if it were right there in front of him. One simple sentence, but it had made all the difference. Knowing that his men were still willing to put everything on the line and follow him even though it meant risking both their lives and careers gave him the motivation he needed.

It took time to set everything in motion and his aunt and her girls had proven to be an invaluable resource during this time, but there was no way for them to seek out Riza to pass along the arrangements without raising suspicions. There was only one person Roy could think of who could and that was why on a cold morning in early January, his first stop was the records room.

"Good morning, Sheska," he greeted as he entered.

The woman in question jumped, having been engrossed in whatever it was she was reading and startled by the sound of his voice. "Oh, good morning, Colonel!" She stood, dusting off her skirt. "Something I can help you with?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Do you remember the McKinney case?"

Sheska thought for a moment. "Yes, Ian McKinney was the counterfeiter who got involved in a shootout with the MPs in an old warehouse and your unit was the one called in to stop him. That was in June. One of the first cases your team had in Central if I'm remembering it correctly."

Roy smirked. They both knew her memory was nearly perfect. "That's the one. Mind if I take a look at the file?"

"Of course, sir."

She disappeared into the back and returned a few moments later with a single manila folder labeled McKinney which she handed to Roy.

The file was small, containing only three pages: a single page report detailing the arrest, a photo of McKinney taken after his arrest, and a photo of the warehouse he had been using as a hideout for his counterfeiting operation.

Roy wasted no time removing the report and replacing it with a nearly identical page from a file he had brought with him.

"Colonel, what're you-?"

"It appears Lt. Hawkeye forgot to sign this report, "he said, closing the file again and passing it back to her. "Could you see to it that it gets corrected?"

Sheska blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say at first, but he'd never given her any reason not to trust him. "Yes, sir, of course. I'll make sure she signs it."

She slipped the file into a desk drawer, but it wasn't long before curiosity won out and she found herself opening the file to peek at the new report. Everything seemed to be nearly identical to what she remembered with a few discrepancies. The date, for one. This new report said April 3rd, but Mustang and his team had still been in the East then. The list of military personnel involved had changed, too. Havoc and Falman's names were no longer anywhere on the report and while she was sure the incident had occurred after dark, the time written was in the afternoon. She wasn't sure what the reason for the changes were or why he needed the Lieutenant to see them, but she knew he must have his reasons, so she tucked the file safely in the top drawer of her desk and waited for an opportunity to present itself.

As it turned out, that opportunity presented itself later that afternoon when Riza came by so she could drop off some paperwork for the Fuhrer. She smiled and nodded at Sheska as she entered the room. "Good afternoon, Sheska." she greeted. "I'm just bringing by some papers from the Fuhrer. They're already sorted for you. You just have to put them away."

Sheska smiled. "You never disappoint, First Lieutenant!" She stood up from her desk and reached out to take the files from her. Then her face changed, her expression said she had just thought of something. "Oh, before I forget." She took the files and turned to place them on her desk before picking up the file Roy had left earlier and handing it to Riza. "The Colonel said you forgot to sign this report."

Riza looked perturbed momentarily. She never forgot to sign anything. Being secretary to Mustang made her paperwork signing skills quite apt. She slowly took the file before opening it. It was a file that had been written and signed months ago, because it was the McKinney case. She examined it thoroughly. Everything except for a couple of words was about the same as she remembered it. She noticed the date. Then, she took out her pen from her pocket to sign.

"How forgetful of me. Here, Sheska. Thanks." she said before turning around to leave.

Sheska watched Riza intently while she skimmed over the report, hoping for some clue as to what the changes were about, but the First Lieutenant's expression betrayed nothing. She could only hope that whatever the Colonel was planning would help him find Hughes's murderer.

She added the McKinney file to the stack Riza had brought in to refile it. "No problem, Lieutenant! Have a great day!"

Riza continued down the hallway, mulling over what she had just read. It was a clever way to pass the message. No one was likely to look at the McKinney file again until he was eligible for parole in a few years. By then, it was unlikely anyone would notice such minor discrepancies in the report since the details of the crime remained the same. The message was clear to her, however. The warehouse remained abandoned since the arrest and it would make an excellent meeting spot for the team to rendezvous before the Promised Day.

It looked like she had some phone calls to make.

* * *

**-February 1915-**

Four months had passed since the Mustang unit had been disbanded, Roy's men scattered across Amestris and Riza kept as the Fuhrer's new personal assistant to ensure his cooperation.

He and Riza were both watched, making it impossible for them to speak to each other privately. He passed her occasionally in the hallways and it was killing him. The worst, however, was when Bradley would summon Mustang to his office. The first time, he'd had hope that he would at least have a chance to see her. Invariably, though, she was always sent to stand guard outside of the office instead.

All this did was strengthen his resolve to take down the current regime.

Madame Christmas's information network proved to be an invaluable resource during this time as he planned his counterattack. The girls obtained information for him and passed messages undetected to allies in the East and North. His most unexpected ally came in the form of General Olivier Armstrong, a long-standing rival of Mustang's, who brought with her the full strength of Briggs to their side. Madame Christmas herself had been able to pass information along to General Grumman in the East.

On this particular evening, Roy was upstairs in his old bedroom which he had turned into a makeshift headquarters for the rebellion. It was as good a place as any and he was able to come and go unnoticed through the secret entrance to the bar in the sewer system.

Plans were spread on the tables and he pored over them, making sure no detail, however minor it may be, was left unaccounted for.

* * *

Riza miraculously had the day to herself. As the Promised Day drew closer, that had been happening more and more and she was sure it was because there was something Bradley didn't want her to know. It wasn't as much freedom as she would have liked, though. She knew she was still followed on her days off to ensure she didn't do anything they wouldn't want.

Most days she was still stuck shadowing Bradley, his "son", or pouring his tea as if she were some unimportant waitress only being kept around to cater to his every little need. To think she was in this position was incredibly disheartening. She hadn't seen Roy except very briefly in passing up to this point, and very infrequently. The few messages they had been able to pass had been even more infrequent. She had been too nervous to eat as much, so she had lost a few pounds. The main thing keeping her spirits from rock bottom was her faithful dog Black Hayate and the hope that she would be reunited with Roy again soon.

On this chilly February evening, she decided that instead of staying home today and wallowing in self-pity she would go on a walk about town. She dressed herself in her casual civilian attire, fed Black Hayate, and left her apartment building to begin her stroll. She wandered somewhat aimlessly until she found herself entering a familiar area. She brought herself back to her senses to read the sign coming up before her.

It was Madame Christmas's bar. Of all the places! She hadn't been here since Roy pulled rank and forced her to remain for her "safety". She grunted at the unpleasant thought. Before that it had been the eve of Hughes's wedding. That memory made her smile, then made her sad to think of their lost comrade. She sighed and smiled slightly. It wouldn't hurt to go in and say hello. Madame Christmas was the closest she would probably be able to get to Roy until things changed.

She entered the bar and looked around, making her way to a stool.

Madam Christmas glanced up from the glass she was wiping down to see the newcomer enter. A flash of recognition occurred the moment she laid eyes on her. "Riza, dear, good to see you. You haven't come to take me up on that job offer, have you?"

Riza smiled in greeting as she sat down across from her. "Oh, would that I could, ma'am. Unfortunately, I find myself in a pretty permanent form of employment these days." She sighed softly. "How have you been? Do you get to see the Colonel much now that he's here in Central?"

The Madam had to stifle a smirk. "Oh, not often. Just every once in a while, when he stops by for a drink." Any spy watching the building would have seen his comings and goings to back that statement, but they wouldn't know how often he really came using the secret tunnel beneath the bar. "Since you're here, there's something I could use your help with if you have the time?" She gave her a meaningful look to indicate that it was more important than she'd made it sound.

Riza frowned a bit with concern. "Sure. I'm happy to help." she responded.

"Wonderful." The older woman stepped out from behind the bar and ushered Riza ahead of her toward the stairs. She'd recently put a lock on the door to the bottom of the stairs, and paused to open it, saying loudly for anyone who might be listening, "I've made some renovations up here and I could use a second opinion from another woman and with eyes as good as yours, there's no one better for the job."

Riza had a puzzled look on her face as she was shoved up the stairs. "In that case, I'll do my best." She chuckled, but still felt like something was up. She continued up the stairs until they reached the apartment above. She looked around, even more puzzled. It all looked exactly the same to her. "Uh.."

Madam Christmas did her best not to chuckle at the younger woman's bewildered expression. "Just wait, you haven't seen the best part yet. I'm sure you'll love what I've done with Roy's old room." She reached out and pushed the door open.

Inside the room, Mustang was on edge when he heard footsteps on the stairs….especially when he realized it was two people. Aunt Chris never came up at this time. Something was off. He jumped up as the door swung open and turned to face it, ready to fight his way out if need be.

Riza raised an eyebrow at the woman as she watched her open the door. Her eyes followed the opening and came to a stop on the figure standing in the room, braced for combat. Her heart skipped a beat. She was silent a moment. Then she whispered, as if she couldn't believe he was standing there, "Roy?"

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone, shall I?" She ushered Riza into the room and shut the door behind her before returning downstairs.

Roy slowly lowered his hands from his combat stance. "Riza…" This was the first time they'd been in a room alone together in months, but it felt like it had been years. He had a hard time believing she was really there.

Riza continued to stand and stare at him. "Is this...real?" She asked. She was almost afraid to touch him. Surely they were being watched. But maybe not, seeing as how his foster parent practically threw her in here with him. She didn't know what to do, for the first time in her life. Uncertainty plagued her thoughts. But tears started filling her eyes, because he was still here. She took a hesitant step forward.

Roy Mustang could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Riza Hawkeye cry….and more often than not, he somehow seemed to be the cause of it. The first time had been the exception. It was not long after her father's death. He'd found her alone in the kitchen, silently grieving her loss. The second time had been in Ishval and the third had been below the 3rd Laboratory. Both times, she had thought him dead. This was the fourth time and he was thankful that they were happy tears this time.

In a few short strides, he had closed the distance between them and taken her into his arms. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned.

The tears came freely now that he was holding her. Her arms came around and her hands clutched his back, digging into his shirt. She buried her face against his chest. "I was...off today and found myself here. Your aunt had me come up here to see what she called renovations. Now I understand that she was bringing me to you. Roy, it's been so long! Are you alright?" She drew back to look at his face.

"As well as can be expected given that the Fuhrer took my bodyguard from me, but I'm better than ever now that you're here," he said with a smirk. "I've missed you. But if all goes well on the Promised Day, hopefully this won't continue much longer."

She sniffled a little and wiped her eyes. "I'm so glad to find you well. At least, as well as can be expected. I've missed you, too. Very much. If I didn't have Black Hayate I think I would've lost my mind by now." She realized how she must look to him now. She knew there were circles under her eyes. Fatigue and worry had taken over her life since being disbanded from the Mustang team. Holding him here and now filled her with such love and warmth she thought she would burst from it, it had been so long since she felt safe. "Have you been coming here often? You know they're probably going to catch on sooner or later."

"Not terribly often. I make a point to come in through the main entrance about once a week, get a drink at the bar in plain sight and leave so that it looks like this is just my regular drinking spot and not something more. I'm careful to not be seen coming through the tunnels...I may or may not have been pretending to date Vanessa for the sake of appearances. Aunt Chris has a friend who owns the inn down the road. It connects to the tunnel system as well, so I pick Vanessa up to stage a date for anyone watching and we end up at the inn. She stays there and gets some time to herself and I use the tunnel to get here while they're still watching the inn," he explained.

Riza laughed slightly, the first time she'd done so in what felt like ages. "That's brilliant, actually."

"I have my moments." He lifted a hand to cup her cheek and his thumb gently brushed against it. "I can't believe you're really here. I can't help but think of you anytime I come here," he admitted, "and now, here you are. Remember the last time we were here?"

She pressed her cheek against his hand, relishing in his touch. "I do." She smiled. "I remember you pissing me off. Then I remember the wonderful making up we did afterwards." She had a teasing twinkle in her eye.

He smiled at the memory. "Maybe I should pull rank on you more often if that's what it leads to."

"Don't you dare. I may not put my gun down next time." She grinned, grabbed his face, and pulled it down so that her lips could reach his in a long overdue, passionate kiss.

He was quick to return her kiss, lifting her up in his arms and moving toward the bed. It had been far too long since they'd been alone together like this, having seen each other only in passing and across crowded rooms, and he wasn't going to waste an opportunity when it presented itself. He put everything he'd felt during their separation into the kiss.

She was pleased at his reaction. She continued kissing him after she was placed on the bed, her hands going for his shirt first to remove it. She fumbled with his buttons, not wanting to tear her mouth from his for even a moment.

Roy eagerly kicked off his boots as he climbed into the bed with her and his pants followed shortly, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. He began working on her clothes, pulling on anything within reach. He knew they wouldn't have much time before anyone doing surveillance on the bar became suspicious of the amount of time she'd been there.

She helped him remove all her clothing and worked to ensure all his undergarments were removed before going back to giving his body attention. "Roy, I've missed this. I've missed you so much it kills me." She swiftly moved her hands up and down his strong abs, drifting further down every so often to tease his member.

"Riza…" Roy groaned and his hips jerked involuntarily in response to her touch. He trailed kisses down her neck and one hand gently massaged her breast, teasing the nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

She arched her back in response, moaning his name and writhing beneath him. She could feel herself throbbing. She didn't merely want him, she needed him. She told him such, her eyes lazy with lust as they gazed into his.

He loved the sound of her voice when she was aroused, it was like an aphrodisiac for him and he was sure there was nothing sexier in all Amestris than this woman in bed with him. "I love you so much," was all he managed to articulate in words before he brought his mouth to hers again, claiming it in another passionate kiss, more urgent than before. He wrapped one arm around her waist and held the back of her head in the other hand as he rolled to the side and pulled her with him until his back was pressed into the mattress and she was laying on top of him.

She smirked and leaned down, pressing her breasts against him, moving her mouth over his neck and chest. She nibbled and sucked on his skin randomly, loving the sounds she heard from him in response. She lowered her hips so that she was moving against his member, undulating and gently bucking. She held his wrists with her hands above his head as she continued her ministrations.

He shifted his hips in response, moving in rhythm with her, unable to do much else with his hands trapped as they were. "God, Riza…" he groaned. "I don't know how much longer I can take this…"

She smiled slowly as she peered down at him through her hooded eyes. "Well, then, perhaps I should help you..." She moved so she was positioned above his cock and allowed herself to slide onto it slowly, in one movement. She never looked away from his eyes. It had been such a long time since they'd been together like this. He felt so amazing inside of her. She moaned gently, feeling her walls stretch to accommodate his length.

He locked gazes with her, heat in his eyes. His hips rocked against hers, moving slowly at first. "You feel so good.."

"So do you," She said in a husky voice, rocking against him. Her need was so intense, she didn't know how long she could last before letting release overtake her. "So fucking good. I've missed you inside me like this." She began to moan, unable to form words due to the immense pleasure she felt vibrating throughout her body. It felt so good she almost wanted to cry again.

Her words did him in, he couldn't hold back any longer. He gently pulled his hands down from where she held them and used them to grip her hips to get the leverage he needed. He sped the pace up, moving in and out of her at a frenzied pace. His eyes stayed on her face, memorizing every facial expression. It had been so long since they'd been together like this and there was no telling when they would have another chance in the future. He didn't want to forget a single moment.

She moaned more loudly than before, feeling him deeper inside her with each thrust. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Her entire body was on fire. "Roy, I'm going to-" she cried out, but couldn't quite finish before her orgasm hit her full force. Her body rocked and trembled with the power of it. Her moan carried on for the entire duration, her eyes closed as if hoping to keep herself attached to him. Otherwise she feared she might float away.

He followed her a few thrusts later, moaning her name. Afterward, he wrapped his arms gently around her, holding her to his chest and still breathing heavily. "That...was fucking incredible."

She was panting a little bit as she snuggled against him. "I agree." She leaned up to kiss his neck. "It's been too long."

He turned his head slightly to capture her lips in his. "Any time spent away from you is too long," he whispered when they parted again for air. He didn't want this moment to end. He wished they could just stop time and stay here in this room together forever.

She gave him a sad smile. As much as she didn't want it to, this had to end or else it would look weird for her to have been inside for so long. "Sadly, it looks like I should get going. If I'm being watched, they know I'm inside. I'll have to go downstairs and chug something strong so maybe I can at least look intoxicated when I walk out of here."

He sighed. "I understand. Just do me a favor and take care of yourself until we can see each other again." He had noticed the bags under her eyes and knew she wasn't sleeping. Truth be told, he hadn't been doing much sleeping either.

She nodded. "I'll do my best. So long as you do the same." She kissed him before sitting up and getting her clothes so she could put them back on. Life was settling back in her mind as she knew it. It was time to play pretend again, and she absolutely loathed it. She finished changing and looked at him. "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck with us this far! We're getting close to the end of our story with only 3 chapters plus an epilogue left and we hope you enjoy them! -J&C


	28. March 1915

**March 1915**

Riza slowly rose up from her bathroom floor. Black Hayate watched her with concern. She couldn't recall the last time she had gotten sick like this. She hadn't eaten yet this morning and barely anything but acid came up, yet she still felt nauseous. She grabbed a rag, ran it under cold water, and pressed it against her face. It felt good, but it didn't relieve the sick feeling in her stomach. She sighed and looked at Black Hayate. She smiled weakly and patted him on the head. "Well, boy, I've still got to go to work today."

Black Hayate whined a little but his tail still swept the air. He watched as she set to putting on her uniform and throwing her hair up in its usual style. She didn't even bother to check her reflection. She made sure her dog had his water for the day, bid him farewell, and made her way out.

Later that morning, she was serving Bradley yet another cup of tea when nausea hit her so strongly her hands began to shake. Bradley looked up at her from the corner of his eye.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, you're looking awfully pale today." he remarked with a facade of kindness in his tone. Riza gulped down her saliva and tried to keep steady as she stood up straight.

"Just a stomach bug, sir. It will pass soon." She said solemnly. It took all she had not to puke when she spoke.

He gave her a peculiar look. "A stomach bug, hm? Those are just the worst. I certainly hope it doesn't stick around for too long." He smiled, and it made her skin crawl with fear. "Why don't you take the rest of the day to recuperate? I can't have you getting sick at meetings. Or on my person. Children are the worst when it comes to that." He chuckled good-naturedly.

Riza held her breath. That was a strange comment. "Yes, sir. I'd imagine they are. Thank you for permitting me to take the day off."

"Of course. You need your rest. At least, while you still have the time to get it." He gave her a knowing look. It was menacing as well. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but she didn't have the luxury of sticking around to ask. She saluted, bowed, and excused herself.

* * *

When she returned home, she still felt uneasy. She took Black Hayate outside briefly, and when she came back in she passed her calendar on the wall. That was when she noticed something.

"Wait. When was my last cycle?" she muttered, looking at it closely. She usually made a red check on the day she started each month. It was late March and she hadn't checked a day. She flipped back to February, and realized there wasn't a check that month either.

Realization struck her like lightning. Was it possible? But how...? Oh, wait. She had been with Roy in February. She didn't remember the use of a condom. They'd been so caught up in each other it didn't seem to occur to them to use one. And she had been so stressed out serving the Fuhrer that she gave no thought to her menstrual cycle. She tried to keep her breathing steady.

"I don't know for sure. This really could just be a virus. I haven't seen a doctor. I don't know for sure." She started talking to herself. She took a deep breath. But she did know. There was no use denying it.

She pet her dog's head anxiously. What would she do? Having Roy's child would be wonderful, perhaps in another life where they could have been together, but now was simply the worst possible time!

She stopped in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection for a long time, her hand resting on her still flat stomach. So. Here she was. This was happening. What fools they had been to not think of the consequences! She stumbled back to sit on her couch. Her breathing was heavy and uneven. Had the Fuhrer known? He had looked at her with that evil eye and smiled. And his remark about puking children now made so much more sense. Fear tore at her stomach. If he knew, would she ever be truly safe again?

For days after, she tried to find a way to tell Roy. But no one knew of their relationship to begin with, so she couldn't relay a message through their allies. If she wrote it down, it could be discovered and read. She barely ever saw him. If they passed in the hall, she tried to make eye contact with him and somehow tell him with her face what was going on. But it was no use, he merely glanced her way and continued on. He was doing better at being apart than she was, it would seem. It broke her heart, but she knew neither of them could openly risk exposing themselves.

* * *

A week later, she sat in the cafeteria, pushing her food around her plate. The last thing she felt like doing was eating, but she had promised Roy that she would try to take care of herself. And now, she was eating for two. She begrudgingly stuck a spoon full of food in her mouth and stared into space.

On this day, Roy took a late lunch and headed to the canteen on the military campus. After getting his food, he scanned the room for a seat until he spotted a familiar head of blonde hair sitting alone at a table. His heart jumped into his throat and he walked in that direction. "Lieutenant," he greeted, doing his best not to show any sign of emotion. "This seat taken?"

Riza looked up and her heart raced. She tried to steady her breathing and smiled a little. Finally!

"Colonel. Not at all. Please." She gestured to the seat with her hand.

He took the chair across from her. "How've you been?" he asked, casually. "New job treating you alright?" Of course, he was really asking how the Fuhrer was treating her, but to an outsider it would just look like two former coworkers catching up.

"It's going as well as can be expected," she said cheerfully, though her tone didn't quite reach her eyes. She had to tell him. Now, before anyone could interrupt. "By the way, do you remember my friend Elizabeth?" Of course, this was a reference to herself. Her heart rate increased once more.

A small crease appeared between Roy's brows as he realized she had slipped into talking in code. "Of course I remember her. A girl like that is hard to forget."

"I saw her recently and she told me that she's expecting a child now. Probably close to two months along." Her eyes were slightly wide, but other than that her tone remained cheerful and her posture poised.

His eyes widened by a fraction of an inch, but otherwise he remained outwardly composed. Inside was a much different story. Riza was pregnant with his child. It was simultaneously the best and worst news she could have given him. He recalled Hughes becoming a father and how overjoyed he had been. He couldn't deny that he'd been a little envious of Hughes's family.

The brief joy at the thought of having a baby with her vanished almost instantly as reality sank in. He'd never be able to claim the child as his. It would grow up never knowing its father in a world that was already hard enough. If the truth of the child's parentage ever came out, it would have disastrous consequences for them both.

He'd also unknowingly handed Bradley a second hostage to hold against him. It further hardened his resolve to overthrow the Fuhrer's regime. If he couldn't be there to help raise the child, the least he could do was make sure the world was a safer place for him or her to grow up in.

All of this crossed his mind in a matter of seconds, but all he managed to say was "Oh. I see."

He wished he could say more, do more. He wanted to reach out and take her hand, hug her, tell her it would be okay, apologize for putting her in this situation to begin with.

But he couldn't.

She looked down at the table. "Yes. She has mixed feelings about it, but I'm sure it will work out. She'll find a way to be happy about it."

Nothing could express the complete fear she had felt upon discovering her condition. She never expected to have children, especially considering the situation of her relationship with Roy. To have a child in today's world was cruel. And there was so much happening.

When Pride had made his existence known, had moved his shadow around her limbs, she had been terrified. And now she was more so. She loved Roy more than life. A part of her was incredibly thrilled to be having his child.

The timing was terrible, though. They had been irresponsible just once-caught up in their passion and desire for one another-and now they were paying the price. Sometimes it seemed like God or the Universe hated them being together and wanted to always make it as hard as possible.

Roy nodded once to show his understanding, then dropped his eyes to the table, pushing his food around his plate with the fork. He was suddenly not very hungry anymore.

"I hear Lieutenant Catalina is coming to visit Central soon. Are you planning to see her?" he asked. To an outsider, it sounded like idle chit chat about an old friend from the East, but he knew she'd understand the real message: Was she still going to participate in the Promised Day mission given her condition?

"Of course, Colonel. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Her expression became more determined and harsh, showing this was not negotiable. Like hell she was going to abandon him now. She would do what she could to keep him safe, as well as herself, for the sake of their child.

He nodded, showing he understood. He was not about to try to talk her out of it. They needed all the sharpshooters they could get for this to work. But he also would have understood if she didn't want to be there given the level of risk they would be undertaking. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."  _As will I_ , he thought. He couldn't wait for this all to be over, so they could finally have a chance to talk.

She nodded. "I'll be very glad to see her as well." She was relieved that it seemed to have gone a bit better than she expected it to. But he couldn't argue with her about anything right now. Not when she had King Bradley breathing down her neck and his freaky homunculus son slithering in the shadows.

"I should get back to work." he sighed and pushed back from the table. "It was good seeing you, Lieutenant." There was so much more he wanted to say to her, but, for now, that would have to be enough.

"You, too, Colonel." she replied in a voice just above a whisper. She watched his back until it was completely gone from her sight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be when we get to The Promised Day which occurs in early April. Based on our timeline, that would put Riza about 8 weeks along that day and not yet showing since that happens around 12-16 weeks which is how we're able to make this fit the canon of the show.
> 
> Now that we're getting so close to the end of our tale which goes a bit further than the Promised Day, we wanted to share the background of how this story came to be for anyone who might be interested.
> 
> We've known each other since the age of 6 and around age 13, J's cousin introduced us to RPing, which at the time was us passing notebook and pen back and forth to write stories about our favorite fandoms. We'd assign ourselves characters to write for and establish a basic plot, but we could throw twists at each other and the other had to respond in character. Most of the time, we'd be sitting side by side on a couch at one of our homes doing this or passing the notebook between our classes at school with personal notes in the margins. We did this all through high school and early college and we still have most of them.
> 
> We grew apart in our early 20s because of life getting in the way, but in 2015, we reconnected and realized we were both rewatching FMA:B. As adults, we saw that there was totally something going on between Roy and Riza that we hadn't realized when we were younger, so we decided to take up RPing again. This time, we did it through e-mail since we rarely saw each other in person. J wrote for Roy and C wrote for Riza while the other characters were all fair game.
> 
> This went on from July-September 2015.
> 
> In January of the following year, J compiled each email into a single 150 page word document.
> 
> In 2017, we reread what we had and thought it was actually pretty good and others might be interested in it. It was originally written in the present tense, so C had the brilliant idea of using 'find and replace' to change the tense to past. So, "is" became "was," "walks" became "walked," and so on. It saved us a lot of time, but it left us with some rather humorous mistakes. For example, when "hand" as in "she hands him the…" was changed to "handed," it made the sentence "she handed him the…" which is what we wanted. Unfortunately, in cases like "he stuffed his hands in his pockets," suddenly it was "he stuffed his handeds in his pockets." We both reread through and thought we caught them all, but to this day we still find the occasional "handeds" in an already published chapter and wonder how we missed it.
> 
> Before publishing here, we went back to look in more detail at the established timeline of the series and realized we had some corrections to make and that there were entire years unaccounted for, so we went back to add in more content by creating a google doc that we could both edit simultaneously. We've added an additional 110 pages of content that way and we've still got more scenes planned that need to be written.
> 
> We're glad you've all stuck with the story this far and we hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as we've enjoyed writing it! We don't know what we'll do with ourselves once it's done, but maybe we'll try our hands at some Royai one shot ideas we've had.- J&C


	29. The Night Before the Promised Day, April 1915

**Here it is...the moment you've all been waiting for: the beginning of the Promised Day. This chapter starts in FMA:B ep. 48 "The Oath in the Tunnel" and the second half takes place during ep. 53-54 "Flame of Vengeance" and "Beyond the Inferno."**

* * *

**April 3, 1915: The Night Before the Promised Day**

The explosion was strong enough that they felt it in the tunnels below. That was good. It meant that all the evidence left would have been destroyed. It was a hard decision, but it had to be done.

Still, Roy felt a pang of regret that it had to be this way as he looked up the ladder to where the bar had been just minutes before. The bar and the apartment above had held so many memories for him. He'd been a small child when his parents had died, and his Aunt Chris had taken him in. He couldn't even remember what they looked like or where they had lived, but what he did remember of his childhood had been here: the birthdays and holidays, Chloe and Vanessa helping him with his homework between customers at the table in the corner, Aunt Chris giving him his first set of alchemy books and encouraging him to follow his dreams...and more recently, the memories of Hughes's bachelor party and his chance encounter with Riza during their time apart.

Aunt Chris seemed to take it fairly well given that it was everything she'd worked to build during her lifetime. At least she and the girls would be safe, far from here. She didn't say goodbye. That wasn't her way. Instead, she'd told him to stay focused and reminded him of how much was at stake. Then she'd left, saying "And the next time I see you, you'd better not be in a body bag and marked as a dissident. I won't be happy with you."

He'd laughed at that and watched until she was gone from sight, knowing this could very well be the last time he ever saw her. As her back faded into the shadows, he turned and began making his trek through the tunnels in the opposite direction.

It seemed like he'd been walking forever with only the rats for company when at last he came to the door. He heard their muffled voices before he ever saw them and when the door swung open to reveal Riza, Breda, Fuery, and Black Hayate, he felt more alive than he had in months. He'd worried they wouldn't come or that they might have been caught before they could get to the meeting place.

The next half an hour passed by with astonishing speed. The plans had been discussed, weapons gathered up, and they were headed out the door when Roy stopped. "Lieutenant. A word, please."

Fuery glanced between the two, then to Breda. "C'mon, we'll go start the car."

Riza stayed still until the others were gone, then she relaxed and gave Roy a weak smile. "I hope you're not about to try changing my mind about my involvement in this."

"Hardly." He smirked and took a step toward her. "We need all the help we can get for this to work and I know you wouldn't stay behind even if I asked you to." He slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper which he held out to her. "If anything does happen, though…. if this doesn't work and something happens to me...I want you to contact this man. He'll put you in contact with Aunt Chris and she knows what to do from there."

Riza stared at the paper. She felt like taking it would be admitting that there was a possibility of him dying. She supposed there was, however, she had no intention of allowing it to happen. She knew he would just argue with her about it. And, for the sake of their unborn child, perhaps she could at least plan to be alive long enough to make sure they were born and taken care of before letting herself go.

This type of thinking was pessimistic at best, but she kept it to herself. She reached out slowly and took the paper from him. She didn't read it, but merely put it in one of her pockets. She smirked back at him. "You're right, I wouldn't listen."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." He felt like he had ten years before when he'd shipped off for Ishval and they'd stood at the train station, saying their goodbyes and not knowing if they'd ever see each other again. "Just promise me that you'll do everything you can to keep yourself safe, even if it means you have to choose protecting yourself over protecting me for once. If it comes down to it, I want you to save yourself and don't worry about me. You've got more important things to worry about," he said with an involuntary glance at her stomach.

"I'm going to do my duty. I'm going to protect you no matter what it takes. I can take care of myself just fine." she said, stubbornly glaring into his eyes. "Please, don't worry."

He sighed, but let the matter drop. If these were their last moments together, then the last thing he wanted to do was spend them arguing. Instead, he stepped forward, closing the remaining distance between them and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. "We'll make it through this. We always do, right?" he said, repeating something she'd said to him what seemed like a lifetime ago.

She turned her face into his neck and inhaled deeply. "That seems to be the case more often than not." She brought her arms up to return his embrace. "Just don't leave me. Stay with me. We will protect each other."

"I'll stay with you as much as I can, I promise." He hoped it was a promise he could keep. He pulled back slightly, keeping his hands on her shoulders as he looked at her face, memorizing every detail. Even after all this time, he still swore she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. After a moment, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. He knew they didn't have long, but he wished he could stay here with her like this forever and just forget everything and everyone else. But they had a responsibility to themselves and to their countrymen to go out there and do everything they could to save Amestris from what was about to happen.

She kissed him back with as much passion as she could muster under their current circumstances. She'd die if she lost him. She wished she could just morph their bodies together so they'd never have to be apart, but of course it was impossible. She broke the kiss after another moment, pulling back slowly to look at him. "Are you ready?"

He sighed and stepped back, letting his hands drop to his sides. "No. I'm not if I'm being honest and I don't think I ever will be, but it's time for us to go regardless. We've got a schedule to keep if we're going to catch Mrs. Bradley on the road before she makes it home."

* * *

Riza stood in the great white room, alone, surrounded by silence and sizzling ashes of the fallen bodies that had been fueled by philosopher stones. She couldn't get the look on Roy's face out of her mind. It wasn't easy watching Envy gloat about murdering Hughes. Her finger had itched to pull the trigger to lay into him until she ran out of ammo several times. But she had obeyed Roy's order to stand down. Envy was his kill. She'd seen him destroy the one called Lust in this very room. It had been an amazing display of valor and skill. But this was different from that.

This was revenge.

And revenge was a long, dark, ugly and lonely path. It was also a hopeless one. That's not what she wanted for Roy. Revenge wasn't a life worth living.

She had told Edward and the others to go on without them. They didn't need to see what the Colonel was becoming. Although she could tell from Ed's voice he probably already knew. She watched Envy transform into his hideous green monstrous form. She watched Roy light pieces of him on fire, followed by his entire body, as he taunted and roared at him.

When Envy turned to escape, she heard Roy scream out at him and watched him follow. She called out to him. That was when he told her to wait there.

If she let him go after Envy alone, she knew he would inflict a slow and miserable death. He would take pleasure in taking his life. And while Envy was an abomination created by someone evil, the killing would be the same as if he were a naturally born human being.

They'd come too far. Roy had come too far. She listened to the echo of the roaring flames and Envy's agonizing screams. She cocked her gun, made her decision, and rushed into the dark tunnel after them.

She slowly crept through a large underground room, carefully looking about at her surroundings. She entered a more narrow tunnel, still slowly walking until she heard the light sound of footsteps. She quickly ducked into a dark hallway and hid behind the corner. Her gun was ready. She didn't know if it would be Envy or Roy. And that Envy could shift appearances didn't escape her mind.

The sound got closer and closer. Finally, it was time to make her move. She whirled around the corner into the open, only to come face to face with the Colonel, who in turn was beginning to snap his fingers. After a frozen moment of recognition, they both eased up.

"I told you to stay behind, Lieutenant." Roy said, dropping his hand.

Still on her knees, Riza replied, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't just sit there, sir." She then asked him where Envy was. Had he killed him already? Was she too late?

"He outran me. This place is a labyrinth." he said, looking away from her. He then turned ahead, still not looking at her. Why wouldn't he look at her again? "Well, since you're here, you might as well help me kill him. Stay by my side, Lieutenant."

Riza felt her blood run cold. This wasn't Roy. Roy wouldn't have offered to share this kill. He also wouldn't have had to tell her to stay by his side, he knew she'd follow him anywhere.

She watched as "Roy" walked away from her. She kept behind him a few paces, then cocked and aimed her gun right at the back of his head. Her eyes went dark with anger. This monster had murdered Maes Hughes in the worst way possible. And now he thought to trick her by wearing the body of her true love?

The beast was an ignorant fool if he thought she would believe him.

He put his hands up. "What are you doing, Lieutenant? Don't you see who your gun is aimed at?"

"Don't make me laugh." she said, not moving. A smirk played on her lips. "When it's just us, the Colonel always calls me by my first name, Riza."

He growled and jumped away. "I didn't realize just how close you two were." She watched as his fake form melted away to reveal his repulsive self.

She kept her eyes on him. "I lied." She pulled the trigger and watched the bullet land between his eyes. If only that could kill him. "Thanks for falling for it, though." It wasn't necessarily a lie, but it wasn't the reason she figured him out. "Now you can do me the pleasure of dying." She laid more bullets into him.

He cried out, annoyed and angry, and his arm suddenly extended toward her at alarming speed. She didn't have time to dodge completely out of the way, and she felt the tentacle cut deep into her shoulder. She glared at him and kept shooting.

"You're really annoying with that damn thing!" Envy yelled, his arm turning green and large again. It snaked under the stone floor and rose up in the blink of an eye, wrapping around Riza to pin her arms and slamming her onto the ground. She felt the wind leave her body. She thought of Roy, and their baby, and wondered if this would be it. She heard as Envy screamed something else insulting, but he was suddenly cut off and it turned into a pain-filled shriek.

The arm loosened and then disintegrated into ashes around her, but the fire never touched her. She looked up and saw the flames. "Colonel!"

Roy slowly came out from the shadows of the hallway. "What the hell are you doing to my Lieutenant?" he demanded. His eyes were glazed over with rage. Riza clutched her arm and stared at him. She could feel his hatred all those feet away. "Don't interfere, Lieutenant. I told you he was mine."

She frowned, but kept quiet. The man and the homunculus stood eye to eye. Their anger and hatred were suffocating. Then, she watched on as her love laid into him with flame. Snap after snap after snap. The screaming never stopped. Roy never stopped. She fought back her tears. She was losing him. After one last big explosion, Envy's small reptile form emerged from his humanoid body. Roy put his foot on him to stop him.

She heard the tiny creature pleading for mercy. A mercy undeserved. But Roy never flinched. His eyes stayed narrowed and focused on the thing under his boot. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to move before it was too late.

She was next to him in an instant. Her gun was cocked and aimed at his head. It was painful to do, but she willed herself to remain still. He held his snapping fingers together. Envy continued squirming under his boot.

"And just what are you doing?" Roy growled at her. He'd never spoken to her like this before. It wasn't him. He wasn't her Roy.

"That's enough!" she yelled. "I will take care of this vermin from here."

Roy hesitated, but didn't break his concentration on Envy. "He's pretty much dead anyway. Lower your gun!"

"No, I can't do that. Stand down, Colonel." Riza said firmly. She tried with all her might to keep her gun steady. Even as Roy cursed at her and yelled, fighting for his chance to kill the monster who murdered his best friend.

That was when Ed and Scar showed up and separated Roy from Envy. Riza kept her gun on him as he tried to pressure Ed into returning the beast to him.

"He deserves the worst death possible. Give him to me!" Roy yelled.

"No," said Edward, a sad and knowing expression on his face.

"I'll take your right hand down with him if I have to, Fullmetal!" he yelled again.

"You can fight me if that's what you want, but maybe you should go look at your own face first! Is that the face of the man you want to be Fuhrer someday? Is it, Colonel?!" Edward yelled back.

Riza frowned. Come back to us, Roy, she willed with all her mind.

"Colonel! I can't let you kill Envy." Riza finally said. She had an idea for how to snap him out of it. He needed to remember what was most important. "That said, I have no intention of sparing him. I'll kill him myself."

"But I finally found him!" Roy cried out in frustration.

"I know!" Riza shouted. "But, Colonel, you're about to do something impulsive. This isn't going to help Amestris or any of your friends. This is pure, unfiltered hatred. And I refuse to let it have you! You're better than that. I know you are."

Flashes of memories with Hughes ran through Roy's mind. All the smiles, laughs, shared moments of grief, watching his daughter cry at his funeral. He groaned before letting out an exhale. "Shoot me now if you're going to shoot me, Lieutenant. But, what will you do after that?"

He knew the answer to that, she was sure. But she had finally caught a hold of the good man she knew was still inside him. She sighed, not lowering her gun. "I have no plans to remain here alone. This is my last battle. When it's over, I'll kill myself and all that's left of the secrets of flame alchemy in the world."

Roy growled and snapped his fingers toward the hall he'd come from. Flames lit their faces. "I can't let that happen. I can't afford to lose you."

Riza let out a soft sigh. She frowned as he turned around to finally face her. His eyes were softer now. They were sad. "I've done it again. I've hurt you. How foolish can one man be?" He approached her and placed his hand over hers to lower her gun. "Please forgive me, Lieutenant."

And they slumped together to the ground. Riza's breath was shaky. She'd almost had to do it. She'd almost had to kill Roy. She fought the nerves that made her stomach turn away.

Envy began to verbally attack each of them, calling them out and trying to instigate the old hostility that existed between them. His death was justified, although Riza couldn't help but feel it was also pitiful. He pulled out his own stone and faded away, much like Lust had.

Roy snorted. "Cowardly bastard."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Chapter 30 will be up soon and will cover the scene with the Gold Toothed Doctor all the way through the night of the Promised Day.**

**We want to give a big shout out to blazedancer1997 for being our most loyal (and possibly only) reader! We're so glad to hear you're enjoying the story! -J &C**


	30. The Promised Day, 1915

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter takes place during episodes 58-63 of FMA: Brotherhood. Enjoy!

**April 1915: The Promised Day**

Riza had never expected to die like this.

It was surreal. The blade across her throat. She almost didn't feel it at first. Then she felt the trickling of her own blood running down onto her chest, soaking into her clothes. _Oh God_ , she thought. _Something has happened to me._

She turned her gaze to Roy as she fell. She saw the look of horror and shock in his eyes. This could not be happening. No, not when they were so close to finishing all this insanity.

And then she was let go. She dropped to the floor. Her body would hardly respond to her. She tried to cut off the blood with her hand, but it wouldn't stop. It would never stop. She had to understand that. She could hear the mad doctor taunting Roy, trying to get him to perform the most taboo form of alchemy in order to save her.

She wanted to live. Truly, she did. She didn't want to leave Roy to live alone without her. She thought of the child in her womb, and how unfair it was that he or she would never get to see the faces of the parents who loved it so.

But then she thought of the war. Of all the pain she had witnessed and had a hand in causing. It was nearly too much. Perhaps this was the fate she deserved.

He would have done it. Even knowing the potential cost, he would have.

Roy Mustang would have gladly committed alchemy's first taboo and sacrificed himself if it had meant he could save the lives of Riza and their unborn child.

They'd known the risks when they planned this mission, but he'd always thought that if one of them were to die, it would have been him. It had never crossed his mind that it might be her instead. He'd already been helpless to stop Fullmetal from disappearing before their eyes and now here he was, useless once more and unable to do anything to save Riza, because he knew she would never forgive him if he strayed from his path and he had already failed her once that day.

Riza used what she could of her strength to lock eyes with Roy.  _Don't you dare do it_ , she thought.  _I will shoot you before you can get the words out and we can just die together._ She never wanted him to live the cursed life that Ed and his brother had. Not when he already had so much to bear.

Plus, they all knew it didn't really work. You can't bring back the dead. It was impossible, even with alchemy. She tried with all her might to show him that, but she felt herself growing significantly weaker.

It seemed that time had slowed down while the doctor waited for his answer. Roy watched in horror while pool of blood grew larger, seeping across the cold floor and then he met her eyes. He saw her glance meaningfully upward. He didn't know what she saw there, but he trusted her.

Refusing the doctor was a risk, but it was the only choice he had. He looked down, unable to watch her dying before him as he gave his response or else his resolve might waver. "Alright…."

"I knew you'd see it my way," the doctor began triumphantly before we was cut off.

"Alright, Lieutenant. I won't perform the transmutation." Roy declared defiantly, his voice getting louder with each word.

Riza tried to speak but couldn't. She could feel her blood pouring out of her. Her life was leaving her body. She prayed that Roy would be all right.

And then her world went black.

The doctor was stunned by his refusal, to be sure, but not as surprised as they all were a few moments later when he was suddenly snatched up and hoisted into the pipes above just before the chimera and the Xingese girl Roy recognized from his confrontation with Envy below Lab 3 dropped down to join them.

He saw the opportunity and he took it. Roy broke free of his captors, forcing the sword of one into the leg of the other and rushing across the room, heedless of the battle surrounding him. He obliterated anyone who got in his way, desperate to get to her side before it was too late and she was gone forever.

When he reached her, he dropped to his knees beside her and gathered her close, wishing there was something he could do, but all that was left was to watch helplessly as she bled out.

He called out to her, but no matter what he said, there was no response. He was so desperate to get a response from her, that he became oblivious to the battle surrounding him. He'd nearly been run through with a sword himself had it not been for help from one of the newcomers, but still, he didn't look away from her. She was all that mattered to him in that moment.

"Don't you dare die," he pleaded with her. "Stay with me."

He was reluctant to let go of her, even when the Xingese girl came to their aid, but he recognized the symbols as a form of Alkahestry, something he recalled reading about in a book in Berthold Hawkeye's library so many years ago. It was the only hope he had at this point and he gave the girl the space she needed, watching anxiously from the side.

When Riza stirred after the girl's treatment, he felt the relief crash over him and gathered her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. He didn't care who saw them. He'd come too close to losing her.

"I've stopped the bleeding," the girl was explaining, "but she still needs to see a doctor."

Roy didn't know who this little girl was or how she came to be involved in all of this, but he knew he owed her a debt he could never hope to repay.

Riza had been able to stand with his help and he'd guided her over to the others, keeping an arm protectively around her shoulders. Their victory was short-lived, however. Roy tightened his hold on her when Bradley appeared, and he couldn't even be surprised when Pride appeared from the shadows. It seemed as if the universe itself was working against them. He asked one of the chimera to protect Riza for now and passed her over to him.

It was not a moment too soon. Bradley moved faster than Roy would have ever thought possible. He dodged his flame attack and the next thing he knew, he was pinned to the floor with a sword through each hand and surrounded by light. He was sure this was the end for him and all he could hear was the sound of Riza screaming for him as the light grew brighter and he felt his body being torn into a million pieces.

The next thing he knew, Fullmetal was next to him in the darkness and he explained what had happened. How he had been forced to commit human transmutation and had gone through the gate.

He couldn't see him in the dark, but he heard the confusion in the younger man's voice as he checked him over, inventorying his limbs.

"I don't know how you can expect to see my condition when it's this dark in here." Roy remarked.

He heard Ed's sharp intake of breath and in that moment, he knew, but he couldn't accept it yet, even as the man calling himself Father taunted them. It wasn't until he heard Ed's tirade against Father for forcing the human transmutation that he finally had to admit the truth to himself…

Even if they all made it out of this, which seemed more unlikely by the hour, he would never actually see Riza again. That was a fate worse than anything they had planned for him.

* * *

**That Night  
**

The room was eerily silent. Earlier in the day, the building had been filled with noise as doctors and nurses rushed about seeing to patients who were wounded during the day's events. There were so many wounded that the hospital had run out of room and began turning other buildings into makeshift hospitals for those not as grievously injured. It was in one of these such buildings that Mustang was put, while people like the Elric brothers who were more seriously injured were kept at the hospital.

He should be getting rest, but he just couldn't sleep despite his exhaustion. There was far too much on his mind. He feigned sleep for a while anyway to satisfy the doctors. It was during this time that he heard Riza arguing her case for being put in the same room as him. She had been serving as his eyes on the battlefield and they were low on space anyway, so they allowed it.

He hadn't heard anything in quite some time now and he knew it must be late even if he couldn't see to check the time. The doctors had either gone home for the evening or back to the main hospital to assist in caring for the critically wounded.

Giving up on sleep, he opened his eyes. Not that it made any difference. Everything stayed black. He pushed up into a seated position on the hospital bed. "You awake?" he asked quietly into the darkness.

"I am now. Are you alright?" she replied, looking at him. She frowned. His poor eyes. The last time he'd been able to look at her, her throat had been sliced and she was covered in blood. She knew he must've been terrified. She certainly had been. "Do you need me to get you anything?"

"I've been better," he answered. "But, no, I don't need anything right now. Just come over here, please." He held out a hand in the general direction her voice came from.

She got up from her bed and moved over to take his hand. She brought it to her lips.

He gently tugged on her hand, using it to pull her down to sit on the bed with him and wrapped his arms around her, chin resting on top of her head. "I've missed you." It was the first time he'd held her like this in months, not counting earlier in the day below the lab when her throat had been cut. He didn't count that, though, as he'd been too terrified of losing her to enjoy it.

She wrapped her arms around him as well and held him tightly. "I've missed you, too. I'm so glad the worst is over and that we both made it out alive."

He smiled slightly for what felt like the first time in forever. "And relatively still in one piece." One hand brushed gently over her neck, feeling the bandages there. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Tired, but I'm fine." She said gently.

"...and the baby?" he asked quietly after a moment's hesitation. As much as he hated seeing her lying in a pool of blood and being helpless to do anything about it, it had been made even worse knowing that two lives were at risk. And now that was one of his final memories of how she looked, and he would never even be able see the child.

He couldn't deny there had been a moment when he had considered performing the human transmutation to save her before she had told him not to. It would have been one thing if he had lost his sight as equivalent exchange for saving her, but it was quite another to have been forced to do the transmutation against his will and still pay the consequences.

"It's fine. Dr. Knox checked me over and agreed to keep my pregnancy quiet for now. The baby is fine."

He nodded slightly. When he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. "I'm sorry. Not just that you're having to go through this, but that I can't be there for you the way I should be..."

She shook her head. "Roy, we will figure this out. Things will be different now. I'm sure of it."

He offered a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. He wished he had her optimism, but he didn't see any way for this to work out in their favor if both were still in the military. He supposed no one would blame him if he retired from the military now that he'd lost his sight, but there was still so much work to be done. His name would be out of the running for Fuhrer at any rate and he briefly wondered who would be selected. No one could be worse than Bradley.

He moved a hand up to cup her face, ignoring the throbbing pain in his hand from where Bradley's sword had pierced it earlier and gently moved his thumb over her cheek, feeling it. "I'd give anything to be able to see you one more time," he said.

She leaned into his touch. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you from that. I'm sorry that I caused this."

"It's not your fault, so don't start thinking it is. It was Bradley and Pride and they're gone now and you're safe, so that's all that matters to me," he said gently. "Besides, I'll learn to adapt. I just might run into walls for a little while." He smiled slightly, trying to make light of the situation.

"No!" She said firmly but gently. "I will never leave you to fend for yourself so long as you still need me. If only I'd just been on better guard, you'd never have been put in that position."

"Riza, please don't blame yourself. You'd just been nearly killed yourself and if you had tried to interfere, they would have killed you and I couldn't live with that."

"But to be forced to go through that...that horrible thing and have this taken from you. I couldn't help but hate myself for that." Tears were in her eyes and she struggled to keep them from escaping.

He could hear the emotion in her voice and held her a bit tighter. "It's not your fault any more than it's mine," he insisted. "Please, don't worry about me. I'll be alright. I'll find a way to adapt and we'll make it through this somehow. We always do." One of the arms around her shifted slightly until his hand rested on her stomach. "Besides, you've got more important things to worry about than me."

She sighed. "I know. God knows I need to start making appointments and start investing in supplies. I just haven't had the time or the energy."

"I know. It's been a rough few months for everyone but I'm glad it's finally over. Hopefully I can get everyone reassigned back to my unit once this all calms down and they get a new Fuhrer in office. It was killing me not being able to see you every day. Which reminds me..."

He slowly moved his hand up until he cupped her face and used it as a guide for his lips to find hers. He kissed her gently. "I feel like it's been forever since I've been able to do that." he said as he pulled back.

She gently grabbed his face and brought it back so she could keep kissing him. This had been the longest they'd gone without being able to touch each other like this. She'd missed it so much. The entire duration she'd always had to calm herself down. She'd just wanted to get back to him so badly. She kissed him passionately. His lips still set her soul aflame like they always had. The time that had passed, luckily, hadn't changed that.

He threaded his fingers through her hair, holding the back of her head as he returned her kiss. He held her to him as if he was afraid she might disappear if he let her go. If he couldn't see her, at least he could still feel her there with him. He felt a familiar warmth in his chest. How he loved this woman. He had for so long and he knew that would never change.

She pulled back slightly for air. "I don't know if I'll ever get enough of you. I love you so much."

The smile that came after her words did reach his eyes this time. He rested his forehead against hers, lips hovering just inches away. "Good, because I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours for as long as you'll have me." He closed the gap, lips pressing to hers once more.

She returned his kiss gently. She sighed with contentment and thought she would keep him forever if it were possible.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much for reading! We've got just one chapter and an epilogue left, but we also have a companion one-shot in the works, so keep an eye out for that as well.
> 
> -J&C


	31. April-May 1915

**April 1915  
**

It took a few days, but things slowly settled back to normal. The members of the Mustang Unit had all made it through remarkably unscathed with the exception of Riza and himself. His men had all made a point to visit them each day they were in the hospital. Even Maria Ross had been stopping by from time to time.

Breda, Fuery, and Falman were all supportive of Roy's plans to restore Ishval next and they had devised ways to help him study without his sight.

On his last full day at the medical center, he received some rather surprising visitors in the form of Dr. Knox and Dr. Marcoh. Their plan to restore his sight using Marcoh's philosopher's stone was just crazy enough that it might work, and it was more than he had ever dared to hope for. He wouldn't let them do it that day, though. He'd insisted that Havoc needed it more than he did and that he would only accept the use of the stone on himself if Havoc was healed first.

Everyone agreed to this plan and Breda made the call to Havoc, asking him to come as soon as possible and withholding the reason for the request. Havoc had agreed, but the bridge connecting East City to Central was still under repair from the explosion that had taken the Fuhrer's train out the week before. It wasn't expected to be completely repaired and ready for travel again for yet another week, so they all made plans to reconvene at Dr. Marcoh's office when Havoc was able to travel.

Until then, Riza and Roy had both been cleared to return home, though they were given strict orders not to return to work until the wounds to his hands and her neck were fully healed.

Falman was still in the room helping the Colonel sign his outpatient paperwork while the doctor checked the wounds in his hands one last time.

Riza, whose final checkup and outpatient paperwork had already been completed, sat with Fuery and Breda in the waiting room.

"Do you think he'll be ok getting around his apartment by himself?" Fuery asked, glancing over his shoulder at the closed door of the Colonel's room.

"I dunno," said Breda. "I imagine it's going to be a bit of an adjustment getting used to getting around without his sight. Maybe we could all take it in shifts to stay with him until we know he's ok without the extra help?"

Fuery nodded. "Yeah, I can take tonight."

"And I'll take tomorrow night," said Breda. "I'm sure Falman wouldn't mind taking the next night."

"I can do it," Riza said quietly and both men looked at her. "No need for you all to inconvenience yourselves when there's so much to be done. I've been helping him anyway while we were in the hospital, so I'm used to it."

"Are you sure, Hawkeye? We don't mind pitching in."

"No, it's fine. I can stay with him until he gets his sight back. I'm still healing, too, so it'll be good for me to be around someone else just in case anything happens and my wound reopens. Black Hayate is great, but he can't exactly call for help if something like that were to happen while I was home alone. And the rest of you will be returning to duty, so you'll be busy and I don't have anything else I have to do until I'm cleared to return to work."

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess that does make a lot of sense," Breda admitted.

* * *

The first thing Riza did when they arrived at Roy's apartment that evening was to move anything she thought could be a potential hazard. This included trash cans, chairs, and quite a few boxes left unpacked from their move to Central.

"I can't believe you still haven't unpacked these," she commented as she pushed them up against a wall in the living room.

"Haven't had the time," he replied from where she had left him sitting on the couch with Black Hayate at his feet. "So, tell me...How did you convince the men that you staying alone with your superior officer in his apartment for a week was a good idea?"

"It was simple, really. We can help each other if something should happen medically. Plus, Hayate will be a great help to assisting you around this place. And I'm off duty to heal so it's not like I'll have as much to do as they will." She watched with fondness as her dog's ears perked up and twitched around before he rested his head against Roy's feet once more. "They seemed to think it made good sense."

The corners of Roy's mouth twitched upward. "Have I ever told you just how brilliant you are?"

* * *

The next few days were quite an adjustment for Roy as he got accustomed to getting around his apartment without his sight.

It was true what they said about the other senses getting stronger when one was deprived, he decided early on. He could tell when he woke up in the mornings if Riza was still in the room with him by the green apple scent of her shampoo. From there, he could hone in on the sound of her breathing and know if she was awake or asleep.

He could navigate his own apartment nearly unassisted by the end of the second day by counting his steps. Whenever he got too close to a wall or other object that may cause him to stumble, Black Hayate had taken it upon himself to bark out a warning.

So, on Wednesday morning when he woke to the smell of eggs and bacon wafting down the hallway from the kitchen, he rolled out of bed and started to slowly take the 37 steps that would get him to the table. He felt Hayate brush past his calf as he passed through the bedroom door and knew the dog was keeping an eye on him as usual.

There was a subtle change in sound as he passed out of the hallway and into the main living area of the apartment and he could feel the heat from the stove as he made his way to the table. "Good morning," he greeted.

Riza looked up at him from the stove and smiled. "Morning. Did you sleep okay?" She watched him carefully as he sat down at the table. He'd gotten pretty good at moving around on his own. She had hoped to bring him breakfast in bed, but this would be just as well. Roy wasn't the type to be pampered, nor was she.

"If okay means only a couple nightmares, then yes," he responded as he sank into the chair. Even though they'd made it through the Promised Day alive, the nightmares hadn't completely stopped. He still had the occasional dream that Bradley wasn't really dead and that it was him instead of the gold-toothed doctor standing over Riza as she bled from the wound in her throat. In those dreams, help never arrived and he'd often wake up in a cold sweat and have to feel for Riza in the darkness to assure himself it was just a dream and that she was still alive.

"Breakfast smells good. I hate that I can't even do the simplest tasks like cooking for myself anymore, though."

She turned everything off and put a plate of food in front of him. "Please, Roy. It's not like you were that great at cooking when you had your sight anyway." she teased, smirking as she took her place next to him at the table with her own food. She reached over and placed a hand on his leg. "I'm sorry about your nightmares. I understand."

"Not your fault," he said quietly, reaching down to gently touch her hand before feeling for his fork. He grimaced slightly as his fingers closed around it and he felt the skin stretching where the wounds in his hands were still healing. "How's your neck feel today?"

She looked at her plate and brought her hand up to gently touch her neck. "It's sore, and it still hurts to talk too much or move my head certain ways, but otherwise, I'm a lot better than I probably should be." She frowned at him. It broke her heart, because she had a good idea about what he had nightmares about. Her dreams seemed to focus on her near-death experience as well. She did feel responsible for his. If she hadn't let her guard down, perhaps they wouldn't have been able to cut her, and then the whole thing would've been different.

Suddenly, the phone rang piercing the silence following her statement. She put her fork down and pushed her chair back to go answer it.

He reached out and placed a hand on her leg again, this time to stop her from rising from her seat. "Let me get it."

Roy hated the feeling of being useless more than just about anything else. In his apartment, he'd steadily learned to adapt. It was a controlled environment where he knew where everything was, and nothing would change unexpectedly. Outside of the apartment, he was reliant on Riza and others for even the simplest of tasks, so he tried to do as much as he could for himself within the confines of the apartment.

He pushed back from the table and stood, moving slowly toward the sound of the phone. He made it the few steps across the room mostly without incident until he stubbed his toe on the leg of the table the phone rested on.

He let out a string of curses under his breath and lifted the phone to his ear. "Roy Mustang speaking." There was a pause as he listened to the other party. "I see. Yes. We'll be there." He hung the phone up and turned back toward the general direction he thought Riza should be in. "That was Breda. The tracks in the East are passable again and Havoc will be here on the first train tomorrow morning."

"Good. I know we're all ready to feel better."

* * *

This was the fullest Dr. Marcoh had ever seen his office and they were still expecting more people. He had moved most of the furniture from the room and was using chalk to draw the transmutation circle for Havoc's legs on the floor, referencing a medicinal alchemy text every few minutes.

So far, Fuery, Breda, Falman, Hawkeye, and Mustang had arrived, but the latter had insisted that Havoc be the first to be healed just in case the stone didn't have enough power left to be used twice, so Major Armstrong had gone to train station to meet him and bring him back.

While they waited, the others speculated about who would be elected as the next Fuhrer of Amestris. The popular choice seemed to be General Grumman from Eastern Command.

Mustang stood with his back against one of the walls, arms folded across his chest. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. There was always the possibility that once Havoc was healed, the stone wouldn't have enough power to heal him as well or the transmutation could just not work. Worse yet, it was possible the doctor wouldn't be able to heal Havoc either and they would have had him come all the way to Central for nothing.

Roy supposed there were worse fates than being blind, though. He had found that it was true that the other senses did get stronger to make up for the loss of one, and he had gotten good at telling who was entering a room just from the sounds of their footsteps. Though, the only one he got correct one hundred percent of the time was Riza.

He was very thankful to have her during this time. Even without being able to see, he was able to get around successfully by keeping a hand on her shoulder when they walked, allowing her to be his eyes.

When the door opened and he heard a wheelchair accompanied by footsteps, he assumed that Armstrong and Havoc had arrived, but something wasn't quite right. There was no smell of cigarettes and the footsteps were too light to be Armstrong. There was only one other person he could think of who would be in a wheelchair, and that was Alphonse Elric, whom Riza had told him was still recovering the use of his limbs after his body was trapped in the gate for so long.

"Fullmetal," Roy greeted by habit. "Can't say I expected to see you here." He grimaced after the words left his mouth, realizing the irony. He couldn't 'see' anything.

"Can't say I expected to be here," Ed replied. "But Al wanted to see everyone before we catch the train back to Resembool tonight and Major Armstrong told us you were all here," he explained. After a pause, he added, "And I'm not that metal anymore, so you may want to start calling me something else." He subconsciously moved his recently acquired arm, still getting used to the feeling of having it back after so long. It was a shame that he was stuck with the leg still, but at least it served as a reminder of everything they had gone through.

It wasn't much longer while everyone chatted that Armstrong reappeared with Havoc in his chair. He grinned at everyone as he wheeled himself in, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"You guys miss me? Don't bother lying, I know you did!" He said cheerfully.

Riza smiled. "It's good to see you, Havoc. Welcome back."

"Wouldn't say I'm officially 'back' just yet," he remarked, still smiling. "But the Major here told me there was a good chance I will be soon."

Breda shook his head slightly. "Leave it to Armstrong to go and tell him the good news without us."

The man in question was grinning. "I apologize for spoiling the surprise, but I just couldn't keep it to myself."

Ed rolled his eyes. Typical Armstrong getting overly excited about everything. At least he hadn't ripped his shirt off or anything...yet.

"Well, since the cat's out of the bag, saves us time explaining why we brought you here," Mustang remarked. "So, what do you say we get this show on the road?" He was, of course, anxious for Havoc to be healed since he was next.

Marcoh nodded. "Ready when you are," he said to Havoc as he finished the transmutation circle and set the chalk on a table, dusting his hands off.

Havoc wheeled himself to the center of the circle. He couldn't deny he was a bit anxious as well. It would be wonderful to get the use of his legs back after being paralyzed for the better part of a year. He glanced over at Mustang and frowned slightly. It was one thing hearing about his blindness, but seeing it firsthand made it that much more real.

Marcoh advised everyone to stand back and he knelt at the edge of the circle and held the philosopher's stone in one hand as he performed the transmutation. Afterward, the room was silent for a moment as everyone waited with bated breath.

Havoc moved one foot experimentally, eyes widening as it responded. He moved the other and put them both on the floor. He pushed himself into a standing position, but it only lasted a few moments before the muscles, weak from disuse, gave out and he fell back into the chair.

Mustang was unable to see all of this and was getting a little impatient waiting to find out the results. "Well? Did it work?" he asked no one in particular.

Riza was the one who responded. "It worked, sir. He can move his legs." She was filled with hope that his sight would follow soon after.

Ed smiled. "Glad to see you're on the path to mobility there, Havoc."

Marcoh sighed with relief. He was very glad this had worked. He set about to erasing the circle so he could make a new one specific to Roy and his needs.

Roy couldn't help the grin that spread across his face when he heard the good news. He was happy for Havoc. Truth be told, he'd always still felt a bit responsible for his subordinate's paralysis no matter how many times Riza told him it wasn't his fault.

"Looked like we're going to be physical therapy buddies," Al joked. After being trapped inside the gate for so long, his body was malnourished and underdeveloped. Still, he was thrilled to have it back and knew he'd be back to 100% eventually.

Havoc was ecstatic. Even the small amount of motion he had managed was better than he had ever dreamed would be possible for him again. The other men all congratulated him as they waited.

After a while, Marcoh straightened up from his work and looked toward Roy. "Your turn, Colonel Mustang."

Roy suddenly felt more nervous than before. If this didn't work, whatever small bit of hope he still had of ever regaining his sight would be gone. If this didn't work, he truly would be blind forever. He would never be able to see Riza's smile again or the face of their child.

He didn't let his inner turmoil show, however. Instead, he lifted a hand and rested it on Riza's shoulder so she could help him to his mark. Weeks of letting her be his eyes help him find her shoulder easily even without being able to see her. "Lieutenant, if you wouldn't mind."

She nodded. "Of course, sir." She guided him to the circle and put him in the center. After he was there she took a few steps back to wait.

Marcoh exhaled and began. There was light and noise but Riza never flinched. She would watch. Her fists were clenched and she waited for it to be done.

The others all looked hopeful as well. They respected this man greatly, for he had sacrificed much to better their world. They waited silently as the lights faded.

When the moment of truth came, Roy hesitated a moment longer. He didn't feel any different. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as the world came into focus around him. Her face was the first thing he saw clearly and his own lit up in response. "Hey there, beautiful."

Heedless of all the other eyes in the room, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

The logical part of him knew he shouldn't be doing this, but since when had there ever been anything logical about their relationship?

Jaws dropped in shock around the room.

"It's not polite to stare, brother," Al said to Ed. He'd suspected their relationship for quite some time now, ever since the day below the third laboratory when he had witnessed the Lieutenant falling apart when Lust told her Mustang had been killed.

Ed blushed and looked the other way to give them a moment. He'd had a feeling that there was something between them, but he was always afraid to assume.

True to form, Armstrong was overly enthusiastic about this new development. "Isn't true love such an amazing thing?" he asked no one in particular.

Falman replied, "Don't know what you're talking about, Major. I didn't see a thing." He turned his back to give his two superior officers some semblance of privacy. While he was happy for them, he also knew the consequences if this were ever to get out, but he was not about to tell on them.

Riza had many thoughts racing through her head. The first was that he was an idiot. He was blowing their cover. The second was that it felt amazing to finally kiss him in front of others. The third was anxiety. Would someone tell on them? The fourth was questioning herself and what she should do. Should she go with it or should she act like she didn't understand and she didn't reciprocate his feelings? So many thoughts she couldn't think straight. So, she resolved to just kissing him back. She was so happy that it worked and he could see again.

Havoc was positively gleeful as he extended a hand toward Breda, palm open. "Pay up."

Breda moaned. "Aw, man. This scale seems very much in your favor since you win and get cured all in the same day." He dug for his wallet.

Roy pulled back after a moment, still grinning until he remembered their audience. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly reminded of their first kiss under the mistletoe over ten years ago when he'd done much the same thing when he noticed they had an audience at the festival.

Well, shit. Now what? He hadn't thought that far ahead. He was just so happy to have his sight back and could see her again.

Fuery was the one who spoke up. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Roy raised an eyebrow at the formality since no one was in uniform and there was certainly not anything formal about what they just witnessed. He wasn't even their commanding officer right now since his unit hadn't been reinstated yet. "Granted," he replied, curious about what the young sergeant wanted to say.

"I think I speak for all of us, except apparently Breda, when I say we've all known or at least suspected for years. And we're not going to tell anyone. It's a stupid outdated rule anyway and we have too much respect for both of you to report you for something like that."

"Not to mention a healthy fear of her skill with guns and your flame alchemy," Havoc smirked. "But, yeah, I agree with Fuery. Your secret is safe with us."

Ed and Al were in agreement with the others. They looked at each other and smiled before looking back at the couple. Ed now remembered the conversation he'd had with Hawkeye about her time in Ishval. She had spoken of protecting someone because you love them. As he looked upon them now, he finally understood why she joined up and did those horrible things. To protect Roy Mustang from everyone else, and also from himself.

Riza blushed. She never would've suspected they'd be so openly supportive. If they knew and didn't report them, wouldn't that mean they would be in trouble as well?

She supposed it didn't matter now. She took Roy's hand in hers and wore a small smile on her face. She looked at him. "I'm so glad you can see."

Roy was relieved by everyone's response as well. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled back at her. "As am I." He looked back at the rest of the people in the room. "Thank you. We really appreciate this."

Breda shrugged. "Hey, what're friends for?" He still didn't understand how he missed it. Looking back on it, it seemed so obvious.

"Lord only knows you've both done so much more for the rest of us," Falman added.

Roy smiled again, and his eyes fell on Ed and Al. It was the first time he had seen the younger boy with his body back. "So, how's it feel to be back?"

Al grinned. "It's incredible. I'm still a bit weak but I'm getting better every day."

Riza smiled at him. Those boys had come so far and been through so much. "I'm happy that you both were able to succeed."

Armstrong threw his shirt off and sparkles appeared. "It is a most wondrous thing! It's so touching to see that everyone is indeed capable of having a happy ending!" He flexed his arms.

* * *

**May 1915  
**

No one was surprised when General Grumman of Eastern Command was elected as the new Fuhrer following the uprising. Mustang was surprised, however, when he was promoted to General to fill the now vacant spot back east. He was also mildly surprised when he didn't even have to fill out paperwork to get his team assigned back to him. When they learned of his promotion and imminent transfer, each of the members of his former unit had gone to the military personnel office and submitted requests to be transferred back East with him.

In the days leading up to his transfer, Grumman arrived in Central and scheduled a meeting with all the Generals. Olivier Armstrong delayed her departure for Briggs to attend. The meeting turned out to be a briefing on Fuhrer Grumman's plans for Amestris going forward. He was scheduled to make a speech later in the afternoon that would be broadcasted across the country for everyone to hear.

As they emerged from the Fuhrer's office, Mustang was grinning. Armstrong gave him a look. "What are you so damned happy about?"

"Oh, nothing in particular. Beautiful day isn't it, General?" he said to her.

She rolled her eyes. After a moment, she spoke again. "I was glad to hear you got your sight back. I thought you might just give up for a while there and defeating you wouldn't be any fun if you just gave up."

He laughed slightly. Nothing could ruin his good mood right now and he knew she didn't mean it anyway. Their rivalry was just an enjoyable pastime for them at this point. "A group of us are meeting at Madame Christmas's new bar to listen to the radio broadcast if you'd like to join us."

"Just because I said I'm happy for you, doesn't make us new best friends, Mustang. Besides, I've got a guest to check on at home. If you see Alex, though, tell him that just because I'm leaving for Briggs in a few days, it doesn't mean he gets to be head of the family again."

Roy snorted. "Right. I'll tell him."

They made small talk for a few more minutes as they walked through the halls of Central until they reached Mustang's office and he went in to get something before heading toward his aunt's new establishment. No one else was in the office, so he figured they'd probably all gone there already.

Riza and the others were already at the bar waiting for Roy to arrive so they could all listen to the broadcast together. The last few days had been a dream. Now that their secret had been revealed, they were free to be together around this group of comrades. She sighed contentedly and sipped on her drink.

It was a short walk from the office to his aunt's new bar for Roy. She hadn't been able to stay away long after the previous one had been blown up and had already set up a new location for herself closer to Central HQ. The door jingled announcing his arrival.

The Madame looked up from behind the bar. "You're late."

He smiled back at her. "Haven't missed anything yet, have I?" He made his way over to where the others were sitting, removing his coat and draping it over the back of the chair next to Riza and sat down. "Sorry, meeting ran a bit later than expected."

She smiled. "No problem. Did it go all right?" she asked.

"Yeah. Great." he said, still smiling. He was having a hard time containing himself, but he refrained from spilling the news to everyone. Fortunately, he was spared from having to answer any more questions about the meeting as the radio crackled to life and everyone in the bar fell silent.

Grumman came on and made his speech, accepting his new position as Fuhrer and vowing to reunite the country. He moved on to discuss several policy changes he would be making, beginning with outdated policies he would be abolishing. These included several prejudiced laws against the Ishvalans and other races. The last abolished policy he announced was the one Roy had been anxiously waiting for: the military anti-fraternization laws.

He watched Riza out of the corner of his eye, wanting to see her reaction to this news as the Fuhrer continued his speech.

Riza was staring ahead at the wall while she listened. When she heard the last announcement, she looked at Roy, alert. "Did I just hear that right?" She wasn't quite sure. Perhaps it was wishful thinking. Her hand rested on her stomach, which was starting to portrude against her shirt, instinctively.

Everyone else in the bar looked at each other and grinned. They knew what this meant.

"I hear wedding bells!" Armstrong shouted excitedly.

"Well that explains what he was so damn happy about," Havoc muttered, smiling as well. While he was still not able to re-enlist in the military until he regained complete use of his legs, he had already made plans to follow them all back East and had found a physical therapist in the area to treat him once they got there. These people were basically his family and he was happy to be back with everyone.

Roy looked back at her, oblivious to everyone else's reactions around them. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out: what he had stopped by his office to retrieve. He took one of her hands and placed the item in it.

When she opened her fingers, it was revealed to be the white Queen chess piece from his chess set. The one that had ironically been given to him by Grumman when he left to come to Central.

"Open it," he said. All his team knew the white King was hollow and could be used to get messages to others undetected. Falman had even used it during the time the team had been disbanded to get a message to him.

What they didn't know was that the Queen was hollow as well.

Riza looked at him curiously and took the piece from him. She fiddled with it, trying to figure it out. She finally got it open and turned it upside down in her hand. When the ring fell into her palm, she froze. She looked at Roy, speechless.

A few gasps were heard, but everyone was smiling as they watched the exchange.

Further down the bar, Madame Christmas was watching as well. She recognized the ring immediately. She'd been the one who had given it to him when he turned 18, after all. She'd always wondered what he'd done with it and now she knew: he'd been keeping it for someone special.

"It was my mother's," he explained. "It's yours, if you'll have me." He was suddenly far more nervous than he should be as he waited for her answer.

Behind them, Breda snorted. "...the hell kind of proposal was that?" he muttered quietly to Havoc so as not to be overheard. "Didn't even get down on one knee."

Riza overheard Breda's remark anyway and glared daggers at him.

Breda winced. "Aw, man. I'm glad she isn't armed right now."

Havoc chuckled. "Who says she isn't?" He knew as well as anyone the woman always carried a gun.

Riza looked back at Roy. She smiled so brightly the sun couldn't compare. "Of course. I've told you before-I'd follow you into hell if you asked me to. Of course I'll marry you." She slipped the ring on her finger.

He smiled as he watched her put the ring on. A perfect fit. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her, to the cheers of all the other men.

He was sure he had never been happier than he was right at this moment. In the span of just a few days, he had gotten back his sight which he thought he'd lost forever, been promoted to General, and now he was free to be with the love of his life without all the secrecy that had shrouded their relationship on the past. No more fear of what would happen if they were found out. And with Grumman in office, the world was on its way to being a much better place to raise their child...the baby he would now be able to claim as his own.

The only thing he regretted was that Hughes wasn't here. He'd spent so much time telling Roy about how wonderful married life was and to get a wife of his own. Now that it was finally happening, he was not here to see it, but Roy knew his friend would have been happy for them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N It's been a long journey for us to get to this point, but that's the end of our story. We completed the epilogue a few days ago and it will be posted by this weekend. A one-shot companion to this story from the POV of other characters will be up later today as well. Thank you all so much for sticking with us this far and we hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it! -J&C


	32. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Roy fastened the cufflinks on each wrist and looked in the mirror, straightening his tie for the twelfth time in as many minutes. He couldn't say why he was so nervous. After everything he'd been through in his life, this should have been one of the easiest. All he had to do was walk down an aisle and make it through the ceremony without turning into an emotional idiot. It should be a piece of cake, but still he felt like he was preparing for one of the most important missions of his life.

There was a knock on the door and Havoc poked his head in. "Ten minutes to show time, Boss," he said with a grin.

"Thanks. I'll be out in a minute."

Havoc nodded and closed the door again. His mobility had returned in full after his time in physical therapy and no one would have ever guessed that he'd once been wheelchair bound.

Roy looked back at the mirror and straightened his tie once more, though it certainly didn't need straightening, and left the room, making his way down the hallway of the chapel to the bridal chambers. He rapped softly on the door with his knuckles and heard movement inside in response. "It's me."

The door opened just enough to let him inside and he stopped in his tracks, his eyes landing first on the long train of her ivory gown as he carefully made sure not to tread on it. The dress was simple with cap sleeves, a flowing skirt, and a gathered waist adorned by a sparkling belt. A matching veil was securely clipped into her hair. She didn't need any other adornments to be the most beautiful bride he had ever seen.

Well, except for her mother, of course.

Elizabeth Mustang was the spitting image of Riza except for her raven hair which was swept back from her face into an elegant updo for her wedding day. The hair she got from him.

"How do I look?" she asked, turning in a circle.

"All grown up," he replied with a smile. "I guess it's time for me to admit you're not my little girl anymore."

"I'll always be your little girl, Dad," Elizabeth said, stepping forward to give her father a hug.

Roy smiled and stepped back, offering her his arm. "I suppose it's time for us to head over before Tristan starts to think you've gotten cold feet," he said with a laugh. Anyone who knew the two knew how unlikely that was as they were nearly inseparable.

Within five minutes, Roy had walked his daughter down the aisle and placed her hands in Tristan's before slipping into a seat in the front row between Riza and their oldest child, a son named Hugo. He reached over and laced his fingers together with Riza's.

The ceremony was short and simple, and they soon found themselves at the reception. Roy stood to the side, back against a wall as he surveyed the room with a drink in his hand. His eyes landed first on his wife where she had been commandeered by Rebecca across the room before he saw Breda, Fuery, and Falman all having an animated discussion at a nearby table. Next, his eyes fell on Gracia and Elicia speaking with Sheska near the gift table.

He couldn't help but think about how far they had all come.

Roy took another sip of his drink and watched his daughter enjoying her first dance with her husband as the father of that husband sidled up beside him.

"Well, Mustang, looks like we're family now."

"I guess it's true what they say: you can't pick your family," Roy retorted.

Ed gave a short laugh. "Haha, Fuhrer Sarcasm over here thinks he's so funny."

Roy smirked. "I do, actually."

Al followed behind Ed. "Now, now, brother, let's not antagonize him..."

"I'm not antagonizing him, he's antagonizing me," said Ed, but there was the hint of a smile on his face.

"Where's your wife, Fullmetal?" Roy asked. He'd tried calling him other things over the years, even jokingly calling him Halfmetal for a few weeks because of the leg, but nothing ever had the same ring to it. "I'd much rather talk to her. She's the reasonable one," he smirked.

"Winry and Mei are getting the cake ready to serve. Important event means a big cake, so you might be waiting a while."

"It is quite the event," Al remarked. "I mean, how many people can say they had the Fuhrer of Amestris, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and the Emperor of Xing at their wedding?" he asked, nodding across the room at Ling who was busy filling up his plate at the buffet, closely followed by an exasperated Lan Fan. He laughed. "Some things never change, do they?"

Across the room, Riza and Rebecca were standing by the open bar off to the side while they caught up. Riza wore her hair down, now that it had gotten long once more, with a dark blue dress. She sipped on her drink slowly, listening to Rebecca as she ranted about some work thing.

"Sorry, Riza. It's just been a while since I've had another amazing woman to talk to!" Rebecca smiled and shrugged her shoulders in an apologetic manner. "You know, besides myself. Cause then I'd be officially crazy. Anyways, this was a beautiful wedding! Elizabeth was gorgeous!"

Riza chuckled. "Thank you for both compliments. It did go well. I hope he makes her as happy as I am."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "I don't know, you and Roy have set that bar preeeeetty high." Her eyes flicked to the side and lit up slightly. "Speaking of happy, hey there, handsome."

Havoc approached the two women with a lazy smile on his face. "Hello, ladies. How are we doing?" He slipped an arm around Rebecca's waist. "Especially you."

She laughed. "We're just catching up. What are you doing? Are you about to go smoke ANOTHER cigarette?" She watched him pull one out of his pocket with narrowed eyes.

He shrugged. "Don't worry, I'll have some more champagne after so you won't even taste it." He winked and stuck his tongue out a little bit. Riza rolled her eyes. "It was a beautiful ceremony, Hawkeye."

She gave him a look.

"Sorrryyyy. I mean, Mustang. Or Riza. What the hell ever, it's an old habit, okay!" He smirked, and then turned around and walked away to indulge in his bad habit.

"He's gonna die an early death, I swear to God." Rebecca huffed and crossed her arms.

"Hey, you're the one who married him." Riza said, sipping her drink.

The romance between Rebecca and Havoc had come as a surprise to nearly everyone, including them. They'd grown closer during the months leading up to the Promised Day when Havoc was helping provide weapons to Rebecca and Maria Ross under the cover of Havoc's General Store and she'd been there to assist him during his recovery while he took months of physical therapy to get his mobility back. He'd asked her on a date when he finally completed therapy and the rest was history.

The band finished the song, and everyone stopped to clap after Elizabeth and Tristan's first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Elric. Roy politely excused himself from his conversation with Ed and Al and approached the conductor. They exchanged a few words and the band began to play again.

Riza looked up when she heard the music change, a thoughtful expression on her face. This music sounded very familiar. She turned her head and found Roy walking towards her. The realization struck her suddenly. This was the song that played the first time Roy had taught her to dance, many years ago in her hometown at the Christmas festival.

He smiled as he came to a stop in front of her and held out a hand. "Shall we?"

She smiled in return and took his hand. She allowed him to lead her onto the floor where he pulled her closer to begin their dance. She looked into his eyes. "I love you."

"And I love you," he replied, bending his head to give her a gentle kiss. The world around them seemed to fall away as they danced, and it never ceased to amaze him how even after all these decades, she could make him feel like this.

Elizabeth stood with Tristan to the side of the room, accepting congratulations from their guests when she saw her parents dancing together. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Promise me we'll still be that in love when we've been together as long as they have."

Tristan squeezed her hand back, his own eyes landing on his own parents as they joined hers on the dance floor. "I promise."

**THE END**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! It means a lot to us that so many of you have enjoyed the story enough to add it to your favorites, alerts, and leave so many wonderful reviews. We've loved getting to share this story with you and we hope to write more in the future. -J&C


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